Team rosters expanded to 30 men for 2020-21!

A huge hurdle is now down ever since the National Hockey League and its Players’ Association opted to move ahead under the framework of the Collective Bargaining Agreement extension ratified by both sides in July, however, a lot still needs to get done in order to get next season safely underway. 

One question teams is requiring to know if how many players they will be allowed to have on board especially with potential cases of COVID-19 that can flare up at anytime during the season. For that reasons, general managers want to have more players available, and especially within the club’s entourage in order to bypass COVID-19 restrictions and quarantine rules. 

TSN senior hockey writer Frank Seravalli revealed that the league is expected to expand roster from 23 to 26, with 4 additional taxi squad members for total of 30.

“The NHL can’t go into this shortened season, still in this pandemic, with the same old roster, as per the normal rules. The NHL, I’m told, has made a proposed framework to the NHLPA over the last few days as far as the new-looking rosters: how many players you can have, and taxi squads. The NHLPA has to get back to the league on that. The two sides have to finalize that but, again, the key work there will be flexibility.”

However, it might be more difficult for the Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks who plan on leaving  their AHL teams in the States for 20-21 season - making additional cross-border call-ups quite difficult.

“Taxi squads are going to be so important and it’s something that GMs are keeping an eye on and it’s going to be more difficult for some teams than others, specifically, some of the teams in Western Canada. The Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, none of those teams plan to bring their AHL team north of the border for the season, so they’re probably going to have to keep some guys stashed in their home city because call-ups are going to be such a challenge.”

Nothing is set in stone yet, but more players will get a chance to crack the roster - so I guess this is one thing that’s positive about the delayed season and its shortened calendar due to the pandemic…