Bettman: NHL would consider December start to 2020-21 if necessary

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the idea of beginning the next NHL campaign two months later than usual isn't out of the realm of possibility.

"We have a great deal of flexibility in terms of when we can start," Bettman told the NHL Network on Thursday. "There's no magic for next season of starting in October as we traditionally do. If we have to start in November or December, that's something that will be under consideration."

Bettman also made it clear there's still no definitive timeline for a resumption of the currently paused season.

"I don't think anybody knows for certain," he said. "We're going to have to take things one step at a time, because the health and well-being of our players is paramount to anything we're focused on."

It was reported earlier this week that the league discussed the possibility of pushing the start of next season until December and that it still wanted to play a full 82-game slate next campaign.

That followed a report that suggested the NHL would be willing to delay the opening of the season until November to complete the current one.

On Wednesday night, the NHL and NHLPA said in a joint statement that they may be able to move on to "Phase 2" of a return-to-play plan - which would involve reopening team facilities - by mid-to-late May if conditions continue to progress.