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NHL wants ‘two dedicated weeks’ for bye weeks next season

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This is the first season the NHL has utilized bye weeks and teams are 4-12-4 in their first game back after the break. Does that make this a one-and-done experiment? Bob McKenzie explains why the concept should stay.

There’s a new plan for NHL bye weeks.

Next season, assuming the new plan is implemented, half the teams will take their bye week one week, then the other half will take it the next week.

“We’re going to try to find two dedicated weeks, and perhaps split the clubs up almost on a 50-50 basis so that each group of clubs will be having their bye weeks at the same time, then perhaps we can schedule a little better out of those bye weeks in terms of clubs who’ve had rest versus clubs who haven’t had rest,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN 1040 radio today (audio).

The fact teams coming out of their bye weeks are 4-12-4 is a clear factor in the change. Hence, the plan to schedule rested teams against rested teams, making first games back a more equitable matchup.

Nine teams -- the Stars, Sharks, Canucks, Wild, Blues, Jets, Sabres, Red Wings, and Blue Jackets -- are on their bye week now or start it this week. The Ducks are the last team to take theirs; they’re off from Feb. 26 to March 2.

Teams started taking their bye weeks on Jan. 1.