from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com,

The best part about the agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association is that, despite all the complications caused by the coronavirus, we still get many of the best parts of the NHL season.

Rivalries. The stretch run. The Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Really, we skip right to them, and we get unique bonuses. Connor McDavid vs. Auston Matthews at least nine teams in division games? Yes, please.

Think about what 2020-21 will look like based on the agreement announced Sunday.

The seven teams that didn't participate in the 2019-20 Return to Play Plan can begin training camp as soon as Dec. 31. The rest begin Jan. 3.

No preseason games.

We go straight into a 56-game regular season Jan. 13. Playing 56 games instead of the usual 82 makes every game more meaningful. It's roughly as if the entire NHL, already famous for its parity, were tied coming out of the All-Star break.

It gets better.

Because of the closure of the Canada-United States border, the NHL realigned the divisions temporarily. The seven teams based in Canada will play in the North. The 24 teams based in the United States will play in the West, Central and East.

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