Both Elliotte Friedman of CBC and Pierre LeBrun of ESPN and TSN have reported similar information.
According to Friedman, who posted the news on his Twitter account, camps "may not open until Monday (Jan. 14)."
The NHL and NHLPA agreed to keep all regular-season games within each conference; however, a source told TFP that all 30 teams are expected to play on Jan. 19, throughout the entire day.
It remains to be seen if the NHL will ultimately open its season with each team in competition.
The NHL wants to limit the amount of travel this shortened-season, and if all 30 teams play, with two teams playing out of conference, the League could have two clubs in close geographic proximity face off against each other.
Hypothetically, one the following match-ups could occur on Jan. 19 if all 30 teams are skating:
- Winnipeg Jets (Southeast) and Minnesota Wild (Central)
- Detroit Red Wings (Central) and Toronto Maple Leafs (Northeast)
- Nashville Predators (Central) and Carolina Hurricanes (Southeast)
While there are other possibilities -- the Jets could play also play the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers or Vancouver Canucks, or the Columbus Blue Jackets could play a team in the Eastern Conference -- the three could be the most logical.
The official schedule will be released by the NHL and its clubs mid-week.
