Golden Knights owner confident in 2020-21 season, gives update on probable start date

As we inch closer to the original target for NHL training camps to begin - which was supposed to be sometime in the middle of December - it's looking less and less likely that a January 1st start is even possible. That said, if players remain home with their families for the holidays with the intent of reporting to a 10-day training camp following the holidays, we could see hockey resume as early as the second or third week of January, which is pretty much in line with what Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is forecasting.

Foley, during an appearance on Fox Business on Monday, spoke a little bit about how he sees the NHL's Return to Play plans rolling out. Though the league probably intends to begin on Jan 15th, Foley suggested that he could see that date "slide a week or two".

"It may not start Jan. 15, it may slide a week or two, but we will be playing hockey and we'll be at T-Mobile. But, unfortunately, we may not have fans, which is really sad, especially for our team because we intend on winning the Stanley Cup this year."

If the league does manage to get its ducks in a row in time to ensure a mid-January start, we should expect a schedule of anywhere between 48-56 games. TSN's Darren Dreger had reported late on Monday that the NHL and the NHLPA have moved on from the financial changes that had long been a sticking point in their discussions. Dreger stated that the NHLPA had agreed to "more deferred money" in its proposal, but only if it means no increase in escrow percentage at any stage of the current CBA.

In addition, Dreger suggested that the league may be targeting a January 13th start date. Whether the info from Dreger is more accurate than the info from Foley, or vice versa, it's inconsequential at point. If we're focusing on the right part of the story, both of them are connected and both are stating that we will have a hockey season to look forward to, which is stellar news.

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