Although the NHL announced its plan for the upcoming season on Sunday, there are still potential roadblocks north of the border that could complicate the league's intended format.
The Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec have yet to sign off on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens resuming play in their home buildings, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
However, talks are reportedly expected to continue early this coming week.
The Ontario government said Friday it hopes the Leafs and Sens can play the season in Canada.
The Vancouver Canucks have also reportedly not yet received approval from the British Columbia government.
The NHL's plan consists of a North Division, in which all Canadian teams would exclusively play each other. Moving all Canadian teams to the United States, or having all of them play in a single hub in Canada, are two ideas that have been floated around if issues arise. Given the league already announced its realignment, the former seems unlikely now.
The 2020-21 campaign is set to begin Jan. 13, with training camps opening Jan. 3 for teams that played in the 2020 postseason. As a non-playoff team, the Sens can open training camp Dec. 31.
