Latest Update on the 2020-21 NHL Season

The NHL appear to be holding the NHLPA a touch hostage as negotiations on the financial aspects of the 2020-21 season continue to be discussed. 

Even with one agreement already in place before the NHL's recent playoffs, the two sides seem extremely far apart. This six-year agreement before the 'Bubble Playoffs' was supposed to cover the financial hardships of the pandemic. The union agreed to 10% salary deferrals with escrow capping at 20%. That money was agreed to be paid in three equal, interest-free installments in October 2022, 2023, 2024.

Now the players are pissed off because the owners want to bump up the escrow amounts that the players have to pay back to the teams to 25% and want the players to be open to deferring 20% of their salaries. 

The season's format is still up in the air, the locations are still up in the air, the amount of games are still up in the air and the clock is ticking.

The players' Return to Play Committee has another call scheduled for this afternoon. The 16-player committee has been meeting regularly. One source on the committee says he feels a season start somewhere between Jan. 20-Feb. 1 makes more sense at this point, but nothing decided.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 1, 2020

Don't expect hockey before late January/early February at this point and if the two sides don't reach an agreement sometime over the next three weeks, there's an outside chance the season gets cancelled.

Let's hope they can reach an agreement before they are a day late and a dollar short.

Photo credit: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire