Each year on July 1, the NHL is usually still busy celebrating its newest Stanley Cup champion, while fans of teams who didn't go all the way turn their attention to the newly minted free agents their teams might sign.
This year, of course, nothing is business as usual as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to delay the league year and loom over attempts to return to play. On Friday, league owners and players agreed to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that would allow them to resume the 2019-20 season with a 24-team playoff beginning Aug. 1.
As for free agency, however, it will be delayed until the fall to accommodate the late playoff push.