NHL sees 'bigger window' now for completion of the 2019-20 season

Not only has the NHL not given up on plans for completing the 2019-20 season and awarding the Stanley Cup, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly says there's now a better opportunity for the league to get it done.

"I think as time has gone on, we've recognized we might have a bigger window than we had originally thought with respect to the summer months and when we have to finish things to be ready for a full regular season next year," Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Friday.

That "bigger window" is a direct result of the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which would have meant no TV time for the NHL should it have chosen to return in July. The NHL has asked teams for arena availability through the end of August.

"I will say that it remains our hope, if not our goal, to be playing hockey sooner than then," Daly said. "Depending on how things play out, we've love to be playing sometime in the spring, and then if we have to leak into early summer, we'd love to have that problem. But I don't think we're far enough along in understanding where this is going to know what's possible at this point in time."

"We think if we were required to, we might have the ability to play in August. If we have to fit games in, we'll find ways to fit games in."

The NHL recently made the decision to postpone its annual awards with a makeup date not yet announced. Daly said he hasn't even begun to think about what might happen with the awards if no more games are played before the next season begins.

"I have not even begun to consider it at this point in time, so I can't tell you one way or the other on that," Daly said. "I'll add that on the list of items that need to be decided."

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