The final battle in this year's NHL season has just begun.

But even before the puck was released between Tampa Bay and Dallas' first final meeting, NHL Gary Bettman looked to the future.

When it comes now, for any exact start date for the 2020-2021 season, he could not give at a press conference on Saturday.

- How and when we will return, none of us have enough information about to be able to decide here and now.

All I would say would be pure speculation, says the NHL commissioner.

- Our goal is to get back to as great a sense of normalcy as possible under the circumstances we get.

Planning for full season

However, Bettman said the league hopes - and plans to - complete an entire regular season with 82 innings and a more normal Stanley Cup with four innings, all of which are decided in the best of seven games.

Previously, the NHL has stated December 1 as a possible start date for next season, but the premiere can be postponed, Bettman says reluctantly.

- I would prefer to stay away from the summer as much as possible.

Our fans normally want to see the game during the autumn, winter and spring and it has always been a goal to complete the entire season before the end of June.

But playing in July, August and September was necessary this year.

- If we can avoid it (next year) we will do it, but it is too early to give an answer more than that we realize the problem and that we should try to do the best we can.

"Takes us through this"

Whether the stands can be filled already from the premiere, or if even someone more than the team is allowed to stay in the arenas, he naturally does not know yet.

- There is so much we do not know.

No one can give an exact answer as to when the border between Canada and the United States will open.

No one can say what the situation with covid-19 will be like, says Bettman.

However, he is not worried that any team will go bankrupt after playing in front of empty stands.

- While there is no revenue right now, and the owners are printing checks to cover the running costs, our teams will get through this and come out on the other side even stronger.