NWHL pushes back start of season to January, expects to play full shedule
The Associated Press | Posted: July 29, 2020 6:18 PM | Last Updated: July 29, 2020
League's 6th season delayed from original November start due to pandemic
The National Women's Hockey League is pushing back the start of its season from mid-November to January because of the new coronavirus pandemic.
The league announced Wednesday it still plans to have teams play a full 20-game season, with the playoffs to conclude by the end of March. Should time permit, the NWHL will schedule holding its traditional midseason all-star game after the playoffs.
The NWHL has six teams, with the addition of a Toronto expansion franchise. The league was unable to complete last season, having to cancel the championship game between Boston and Minnesota in mid-March because of COVID-19.
The NWHL plans to begin holding optional practices beginning the week of Sept. 21, followed by formal practices a month later. The schedule was determined by the league's COVID-19 safety committee formed in April.