NHL Decides Against Delaying 2021 Draft

The 2021 NHL Draft is on schedule for July 23-24, despite rumors that it might be deferred to a later date.

The league was reportedly thinking about pushing the draft as late as the summer of 2022 and potentially even holding back-to-back drafts, with the support of many general managers, theScore reports.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said last week the 2021 NHL Draft is tentatively scheduled for July 23-24 and said a final decision could come out soon.

"It's a complicated issue. It implicates a lot of different provisions of our collective bargaining agreement, and it's difficult to work through those issues," Daly said.

TheScore reports that the pandemic caused many hockey leagues around the world to play modified seasons or not play at all, so evaluating eligible players became much more difficult for NHL teams as a result.

"We've had different issues associated in Europe as well," Daly said. "That is compounded by the fact that the club scouts, who are charged and employed to scout these prospects, to learn about them and to advise their clubs on those prospects, haven't been able, for the most part, to travel or watch them in person."

The 2021 NHL Draft is scheduled to take place July 23-24.