Gary Bettman's scheduling dilemma: Calls to shorten NHL season before playoffs starts rolling

Playoff fever is everywhere now at the NHL, and one of the most stunning topics that has emerged is fatigue. With the postseason already having booked 13 teams, and last-minute spots being jostled for, fans and analysts alike are beginning to wonder whether the league's calendar is turning into something more arduous than it is appealing now that the postseason is fast approaching; all looks financially healthy for the NHL if you consider overall viability.

Commentary surrounding the NHL's schedule length received increased traction this year in part due to a well-known analyst's comment regarding perceived player disinterest toward the end of the regular season. Suggestions followed promptly, notably those from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, who stated that the regular season could be better served by starting about a month earlier—in late September—thus allowing the Stanley Cup Finals to be played out in early June. He proceeded to chart out dates for the key offseason events—the draft, followed by free agency—resulting in a more streamlined calendar.

On the other hand, a different vision existed within the mind of another longtime NHL voice, Ralph Strangis. This made for an entirely anti-LeBrun perspective: He wished for a much later calendar, with training camps in November and games beginning in December. His argument rested on giving hockey better airtime in the summer months when fewer major events take place, combined with less competition from other major sports, especially football.

Fans subsequently had their say on the issue, with many endorsing a summer-heavy calendar. The thought that the NHL could monopolize June and July when baseball is its only real competition, seemed to resonate deeply with fans starving for change. Then another side exists. Television networks holding rights, like ESPN, want the NHL to stay far out of October when the MLB playoffs bring in serious viewership. This gives any potential alteration to the calendar a flip side concerning audience interests versus the obligations owed to the broadcast contract.
As if that weren't enough for drama, the playoffs bring in an unbelievable twist this year: Four of the NHL's Original Six teams from the Great United States have failed to qualify. The ever-more-present absence of major names—the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings—is being questioned as a factor that might change the American audience rating and increase the need for calendar adaptations.
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While the Commissioner of the NHL, Gary Bettman, still articulates optimism regarding financial gain inside the league, the growing concerns regarding player fatigue and declining late-season interest should not be ignored. Supply-crunched by the absence of teams from major markets and unsatisfied fans, a possible recalibration of the league calendar may just turn out to be an avant-garde strategy for maintaining long-term engagement.