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          Lapsed fan's guide to the 2021 NHL season: 25 trades, signings, hirings and more you missed this offseason

          • Greg WyshynskiJan 12, 2021, 09:40 AM ET
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              Greg Wyshynski is ESPN's senior NHL writer.
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          It's challenging to keep up with the news during a typical NHL offseason. It's doubly challenging to do so when that offseason begins in late September, ends in mid-January and every day in between presents another focus-devouring distraction from pressing issues like which team signed Radko Gudas. (Spoiler: It was the Florida Panthers.)

          So as a service to you, here's a chance to catch up on everything that has happened since the Tampa Bay Lightning hoisted the Stanley Cup -- the hirings, firings and signings. But most of all, it's an explanation of what this unprecedented 2021 NHL season is going to look like and how we got here. Enjoy!

          1. No bubbles

          Bubbles are so last summer! Please recall last season, when the NHL completed its 2019-20 campaign in Toronto and Edmonton, housing teams in "bubbles" sealed off from the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was daily testing of everyone in the bubble, along with comprehensive health standards. In the end, the Tampa Bay Lightning raised the Stanley Cup after a 24-team tournament, during which the NHL incredibly did not have a single positive COVID-19 test among its teams.

          But those bubbles were a necessary evil for the players, who battled the mental strain of hotel confinement and separation from friends and family. They weren't going to return to them for a full regular season. The players and the league traded concepts, including "hybrid bubbles," but settled on teams playing inside of their own arenas, with major tweaks to the NHL's divisional alignment and season format.

          2. No fans (mostly, for now)

          Most arenas will be empty at the start, but a few teams will have a limited capacity of fans. The Florida Panthers, (25% capacity), Arizona Coyotes (25%) and Dallas Stars (30%) are all planning to open up with fans. The St. Louis Blues announced they have "a limited number of invited frontline workers, along with the families and friends of our players, hockey staff, team employees and essential personnel."

          It's anticipated that the number of teams allowing fans in the building will grow as the season progresses, and the NHL hopes to have Stanley Cup Playoff games with fans in the stands.

          3. Shortened season

          The NHL and the NHLPA agreed on a 56-game regular season after some rather interesting offseason talks in which the owners attempted to renegotiate a collective bargaining agreement they agreed to last summer and while simultaneously claiming their renegotiation wasn't actually a renegotiation. (Whatever you call it, the players shut down that request.)

          The Stanley Cup Playoffs are due to begin on May 11, which is "subject to adjustment," and the last possible day of the Stanley Cup Final is July 9, which is also "subject to adjustment." The adjustments will come if the NHL rearranges its schedule because of games being postponed for COVID-19.

          The 56-game season was viewed as long enough to feel legitimate, to appease sponsors and rights-holders, but short enough where the league would have a cushion to make up those games. But keep this in mind: The No. 1 priority for the NHL, besides completing a season as safely as possible during a pandemic, is maintaining the integrity of an 82-game 2021-22 season that starts next fall -- a season that welcomes both the expansion Seattle Kraken and a new TV contract in the U.S.

          4. There's an all-Canadian division

          Canuck-philes, rejoice. The restrictions at the Canadian border, and the uncertainty over when they'll ease, forced the NHL to get creative in how to structure the 2021 season, which meant the creation of the North Division, aka the "We The North" Division. It contains all seven of the league's Canadian franchises.

          But the travel concerns about COVID-19 -- both in health and financial impact -- didn't stop at the Canadian border.

          5. Temporary realignment (and corporate sponsors!)

          The NHL remixed its U.S.-based franchises into three new divisions, and then sold corporate sponsorship of those divisions for the first time in league history. Is the winner of the East contractually obligated to put a MassMutual logo on their banner?

          Again, this alignment was meant to reduce travel by grouping together teams geographically. In a few cases, teams were allowed to lobby for specific divisional alignment: St. Louis preferred to play in the West, while Dallas preferred to be grouped into the Central.

          6. New schedule format

          Teams will compete exclusively against their divisional opponents in the regular season, playing two-game "homestands" against each other, similar to baseball or minor league hockey. For example: The Penguins open with two games in Philadelphia, and then return home for two games against the Capitals followed by another two games against the Rangers. Teams in the North Division will play each other nine or 10 times, while everyone else will face their divisional opponents eight times.

          There is no interdivision or interconference play in the regular season.

          7. A dream matchup Stanley Cup Final?

          The NHL is throwing back to an old postseason format in the opening rounds. The wild cards will take a year off, as only the top four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. It's No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in each division, then those winners meet to determine who wins the division title. Once we have all four division winners, the real fun begins: The NHL is tossing out conference and geographic designations and reseeding the teams based on regular-season points percentage.

          This opens up the potential for "dream matchups" for the Stanley Cup that wouldn't happen under typical conference restrictions. The Boston Bruins vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the Cup on the line? Let's go!

          8. Flat salary cap

          The league and its players agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement as part of their "return to play" plan last summer. It was seen as a financial roadmap through the next few seasons of COVID-impacted revenues. One part of that plan was to control spending through a flat salary cap of $81.5 million, which was the cap for the 2019-20 season and could be the cap for the foreseeable future.

          The trickle-down effect from the flat cap forced teams to make drastic roster decisions to get under the ceiling, and changed the financial landscape for players signing new contracts.

          Another salary cap wrinkle: Teams will have four to six players on taxi squads, which will not only give them an expanded roster of reserve players, but the ability to move salary cap hits for creative accounting.

          9. Taylor Hall goes short in Buffalo

          Coyotes winger Taylor Hall had anticipated the chance to land a blockbuster contract as the NHL's top free-agent forward, but realized quickly that the deal he wanted wasn't going to materialize, given the current economic realities of the NHL. So he decided to maximize both his salary -- and potentially his statistical output -- by signing a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Sabres. That'll give him a season with Jack Eichel to inflate his numbers, hopefully leading to the contract he wants next summer.

          10. Petro out, Krug in for the Blues

          After failing to come to terms with the Blues, captain Alex Pietrangelo quickly jumped over to the Golden Knights, who signed the star defenseman to a seven-year deal with an $8.8 million annual cap hit and the full no-movement clause the Blues refused to give him. (Vegas had to trade veteran defenseman Nate Schmidt to Vancouver and center Paul Stastny to Winnipeg to clear the necessary cap space.)

          The Blues, however, had a stunning Plan B: Torey Krug, the former Bruins defenseman who signed a seven-year deal with a $6.5 million cap hit and a no-trade -- but not a no-movement -- clause.

          11. Zdeno Chara leaves Boston

          Krug wasn't the only defenseman on the outs with Boston. After hearing that his ice time and role would be reduced in a youth movement, Chara opted to leave the Bruins as an unrestricted free agent. The 43-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Capitals, because apparently one Washington Monument wasn't enough.

          12. Joe Thornton leaves San Jose

          After 1,104 games, 1,055 points and one legendary playoff beard, "Jumbo" left the Sharks to sign a one-year free-agent contract with the Maple Leafs, who are much closer to securing Thornton his elusive Stanley Cup win.

          Like Patrick Marleau before him, Thornton has quickly taken Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner under his wing. Meanwhile, Marleau returned to San Jose on a one-year deal and is 45 games away from breaking Gordie Howe's career regular-season games-played record.

          13. Familiar faces in new places

          The flat salary cap ($81.5 million) necessitated a flurry of player transactions in the offseason. Among the notable ones:

          • The Montreal Canadiens were busy. They traded restricted free-agent center Max Domi to the Columbus Blue Jackets for fellow RFA Josh Anderson, who signed a seven-year deal with $5.5 million annually against the cap. (Domi signed a two-year deal with a $5.3 million average annual value with Columbus.) Montreal also signed free-agent winger Tyler Toffoli (four years, $4.25 million AAV).

          • The Minnesota Wild traded center Eric Staal to the Sabres for center Marcus Johansson, and traded forward Ryan Donato to San Jose. They also bid farewell to longtime center Mikko Koivu, who signed with Columbus.

          • The Detroit Red Wings acquired defenseman Marc Staal from the New York Rangers, who dumped him off their salary cap. The Wings also signed winger Bobby Ryan to a one-year deal after Ottawa bought him out.

          • Speaking of buyouts, the Edmonton Oilers took advantage of one as they signed Kyle Turris to a two-year deal after Nashville ate the final four years of his contract. They also signed free-agent defenseman Tyson Barrie to a one-year deal worth $3.75 million.

          • Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk went from a buyout two years ago to a Stanley Cup champion with Tampa Bay. He parlayed that into a three-year deal with a $3.9 million AAV from the Anaheim Ducks.

          • Ottawa signed free-agent winger Evgenii Dadonov (three years, $5 million AAV), and snagged defenseman Braydon Coburn and center Cedric Paquette as the Lightning tried to create cap space.

          • Besides Thornton, the Maple Leafs signed veteran winger Wayne Simmonds (one year, $1.5 million) and former Calgary defenseman T.J. Brodie (four years, $5 million AAV).

          • The Flames, meanwhile, added veteran defenseman Chris Tanev on a four-year deal with a $4.5 million AAV.

          • The New York Islanders' cap crunch was the Colorado Avalanche's gain, as they acquired defenseman Devon Toews for two second-round picks.

          • The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Kasperi Kapanen from the Leafs in a cost-saving move for Toronto.

          • Finally, Mike Hoffman waited through the first couple of months of free agency before signing a professional tryout contract, and then a one-year deal ($4 million AAV), with the Blues.

          14. Goalie-go-round

          The offseason provided one of the most robust crops of available goaltenders in recent memory. Among the netminders swapping jerseys were:

          • Canucks free agent Jacob Markstrom, who signed with Calgary (six years, $6 million AAV)

          • Flames goalie Cam Talbot, who left for Minnesota (three years, $3.67 million AAV)

          • Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who was traded to San Jose

          • Capitals free agent Braden Holtby, who signed with Vancouver (two years, $4.3 million AAV)

          • Blues goalie Jake Allen, who was traded to Montreal and signed a two-year extension that starts in 2021-22

          • Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray, who lost his gig to Tristan Jarry and was traded to the Senators, where he signed a four-year extension worth $6.2 million annually

          • Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss, who signed a two-year deal worth $3.6 million annually with the Detroit Red Wings after the Islanders finally convinced top prospect Ilya Sorokin to leave the KHL on a one-year, $2 million NHL deal

          15. Lundqvist, Crawford leave

          Two big-name goalies walked away from the NHL after signing free-agent deals. After taking a buyout from the Rangers and signing a one-year deal with the Capitals, 38-year-old former Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist announced he wouldn't play in the 2021 season due to a heart condition. Soon after, he announced he would undergo open-heart aortic valve replacement, aortic root and ascending aortic replacement surgery.

          Meanwhile, Corey Crawford announced he was retiring from the NHL after signing a two-year deal ($3.9 million AAV) with the New Jersey Devils. "I believe I've given all I can to the game of hockey, and I have decided that it is time to retire," Crawford, 36, said in a statement the weekend before the season opened.

          16. Other retirements

          Former Conn Smythe winner and Carolina Hurricanes "Storm Surge" conductor Justin Williams called it a career after 19 NHL seasons. Joining him in retirement are:

          17. Players missing in action

          A few high-profile players will not open the season with their teams. Nikita Kucherov of the Lightning had hip surgery and will miss the regular season. The silver lining, if there is one: The Lightning can put his entire $9.5 million cap hit on long-term injured reserve, and get under the salary cap this season.

          The Dallas Stars could be without Tyler Seguin (hip) and Ben Bishop (knee) until at least March. The Blues will be without winger Vladimir Tarasenko, who went back under the knife for an ailing shoulder and will be reevaluated in February.

          But most curious is the absence of Chicago captain Jonathan Toews, who is out indefinitely with an unknown illness. "This offseason, I've been experiencing symptoms that have left me feeling drained and lethargic," Toews said in a statement from the team. "I am working with doctors so I can better understand my condition."

          18. RFAs

          This offseason's restricted free agent class wasn't the galaxy of stars that was the Class of 2019, but it was notable for the types of contracts signed. In another offseason, Mathew Barzal might have gone long-term with the Islanders. But under a flat cap and in these uncertain times, Barzal signed a three-year deal with a $7 million annual cap hit.

          Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (three years, $4.8 million AAV), defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (four years, $3.6 million) and defenseman Erik Cernak (three years, $2.95 million) signed deals within the team's cap structure. Defenseman Devon Toews (Colorado, four years, $4.1 million AAV), center Radek Faksa (Dallas, five years, $3.25 million AAV), defenseman Matt Grzelcyk (Boston, four years, $3.69 million AAV), forward Anthony Mantha (Detroit, four years, $5.7 million AAV), goalie Matt Murray (Ottawa, four years, $6.25 million AAV), center Sam Reinhart (Buffalo, one year, $5.2 million) and center Pierre-Luc Dubois (Columbus, two years, $5 million AAV) also signed new deals.

          19. Trade requests

          The contract between Dubois and the Blue Jackets came just prior to the season, following news that the talented 22-year-old center wanted out of Columbus for a bigger stage -- and their two-year contract seemed indicative of that.

          But he wasn't the only disgruntled young star: The agents for Patrik Laine of the Jets said it "probably would be mutually beneficial to both the player and the team" if the goal-scoring ace was moved. Laine reportedly was unhappy because he wasn't getting top-line assignments. He's also in his last season before restricted free agency. He has 138 goals in his first 305 games. Both of these players will not suffer for suitors.

          20. New and reaffirmed coaches

          With the strange timing of the postseason, offseason and new season, there weren't as many coaching changes as we'd customarily see in the NHL. In fact, most of the new coaches are just last season's interim coaches getting the gig on a permanent basis: Geoff Ward of the Flames; Dean Evason of the Wild; Bob Boughner of the Sharks; and most notably, Stars coach Rick Bowness, who took over the team in December 2019 and led them all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. (The NHL's oldest head coach, Bowness turns 66 this month.)

          There were two notable new hires, however: Peter Laviolette, formerly of the Predators, brings his gruff comportment to Washington in an effort to ignite another Cup run for the Capitals; and Lindy Ruff, sixth on the all-time wins list (736), takes over the Devils. His last head-coaching job was with the Stars in 2016-17.

          21. Panthers, Coyotes get new GMs

          While Tom Fitzgerald was formally given the Devils' GM gig after replacing Ray Shero last season, the Panthers and Coyotes hired their own new top executives. Bill Zito, former assistant GM of the Blue Jackets, was hired in Florida. Bill Armstrong, the assistant GM in St. Louis, was hired by Arizona. It's the first NHL general manager job for both.

          22. Alexis Lafreniere and the next wave

          The Rangers won the 2020 NHL draft lottery and selected phenom left winger Alexis Lafreniere, adding him to one of the deepest young talent pools in the NHL. That pool includes rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin, a franchise-level talent who hastened the departure of Henrik Lundqvist. Across the city, there's another stellar first-year goalie in Ilya Sorokin of the Islanders, who hopped over from the KHL.

          Some other top rookies to watch around the NHL:

          • Kirill Kaprizov, a game-changing offensive forward for the Wild

          • German-born forward Tim Stuetzle, the No. 3 pick of the Senators in 2020

          • defenseman Bowen Byram of the Avalanche

          • defenseman Alexander Romanov of the Canadiens

          • U.S. World Juniors hero Trevor Zegras, a forward with the Ducks

          • Kings forwards Quinton Byfield, the No. 2 pick in the draft, and Alex Turcotte, if both play in the senior circuit this season

          23. Offside rules fixed?

          The NHL's offside rules were unfortunately most effective in confusing people and taking valid goals off the board for prosaic circumstances. So in the only major on-ice rules change of the offseason, the NHL tweaked that rule. Starting in 2021, a player's skate will not have to be in contact with the blue line to be considered "onside" during a play, as the "plane" of the blue line will extend upward, like a goal line in football.

          The rule now reads: "A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with the blue line, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line. On his own side of the line shall be defined by a 'plane' of the blue line which shall extend from the leading edge of the blue line upwards. If a player's skate has yet to break the 'plane' prior to the puck crossing the leading edge, he is deemed to be on-side for the purpose of the off-side rule."

          24. Winter Classic off, Lake Tahoe on

          The NHL postponed the 2021 Winter Classic at Target Field in Minneapolis, where the Wild were set to face the Blues on Jan. 1. It also postponed the Stadium Series game the Hurricanes were to host at NC State.

          But fear not, lovers of outdoor hockey: After plans to hold a game without fans at Lake Louise in Alberta didn't come together, the NHL scheduled two games for the picturesque environs of Lake Tahoe. Dubbed "NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe," it will feature two regular-season games: The Avalanche vs. the Golden Knights on Feb. 20, and the Flyers vs. the Bruins on Feb. 21. One game is sponsored by Bridgestone, the other by Honda. Because in the current economic climate in the NHL, nearly everything is going to have a sponsor's logo on it.

          25. Everything is for sale

          Commissioner Gary Bettman said the amount of money the NHL is going to lose this season "starts with a B," and we assume he doesn't mean a few bucks. Thus, previously unutilized revenue streams are going to be opened up for this season. In some cases, it's to bring in new money. In other cases, it's to satisfy current obligations to existing sponsors, including those with their names on NHL arenas.

          The NHL is selling ads on the social distancing tarps between the first row of available seats for fans and the boards; it has sold the names of its divisions; and for the first time in league history, the NHL is putting ads on players' helmets.

          Will all of this eventually lead to advertisements on NHL sweaters, which many fans feel is an ad too far? "I don't think that anyone should jump to conclusions," said Bettman. Which isn't a "No."