Winnipeg Jets 2020-21 schedule released — but deputy chief public health officer said NHL talks were ongoing
Jets are slated to open their season at home versus the Calgary Flames on Jan. 14, per NHL schedule
The Winnipeg Jets are back — maybe.
The NHL released its 56-game schedule for the 2020-21 regular season Wednesday, and the Jets are slated to open their season at home versus the Calgary Flames on Jan. 14.
But Dr. Jazz Atwal, Manitoba's acting deputy chief public health officer, told reporters Wednesday that discussions were still ongoing regarding whether NHL hockey could be played in Winnipeg under current the public health orders.
"We're continuing to work with our interprovincial partners. There are five provinces that are impacted by this. There's work done federally as well. We're engaging with the NHL and they're engaging with public health as well — and that's ongoing," said Atwal.
"That's really all I could say about it right now."
If provinces were going to exempt their NHL teams from public health orders, it would likely be a collective announcement, Atwal added.
Per the current public health order, Manitoba-based professional hockey teams can operate to some extent. Players, coaches, managers, administrative officials and training and medical staff of those teams can be in the team's arena and training facilities for practices and training — assuming no one else from the general public other than media is present.
According to the NHL's release, The Jets will join the other six Canadian NHL teams in the NHL's north division.
The Jets will square off against the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs 10 times each, and face the Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks nine times each, said a news release issued by the Jets.
After opening night, the Jets are supposed to travel to Toronto before visiting Ottawa to play against the Senators for two games, the release said. But Ontario is supposed to enter a partial lockdown in 10 days due to COVID-19.
The schedule on the Winnipeg Jets' website does not currently list start times for any games. But the release says they will be announced shortly.
On Nov. 12, all of Manitoba was placed under red — or critical — COVID-19 restrictions per the province's pandemic response system, which prohibit sports, among other things. Winnipeg has been under those restrictions since Nov. 2.
An exception was made yesterday for high-performance athletes competing for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to train. But that affects fewer than 10 people, the province said.