SEATTLE — The NHL has sent teams two versions of the schedule for the 2021-22 season.
One includes an Olympic break to pause the season so NHL players can go to Beijing.
The other is what the season would look like if the league, players and international officials cannot reach an Olympic agreement.
The schedule being released publicly Thursday includes the Olympic break in the hope that a deal gets worked out.
NHL players going to the Olympics for the first time since 2014 would extend the playoffs into late June.
Either way, it's back to normal with an 82-game regular season and 16-team playoff for the Stanley Cup.
