During ongoing discussions with the Players Association, the NHL is considering reducing the number of preseason games from six to four, while increasing the regular season to 84 games.

The idea behind this reduction is to lessen the load on players before the season starts while adding games that actually count. This would not only generate more revenue but also give fans more high-stakes games.

Is Gary Bettman about to cancel preseason games to add more NHL regular-season games?

For fans, this change could be positive: fewer meaningless games and more matchups where every point matters. However, some worry that players will become more fatigued, increasing the risk of injuries in an already packed season.

These discussions show that the league is open to considering changes to adapt to the new realities of professional sports, while taking into account the needs of players, teams, and fans. Nothing has been decided yet, but a change like this could significantly reshape the hockey season as we know it.

Adding two games to the schedule is no small thing, but it could be good for the overall entertainment value.

The NHL could follow in the footsteps of other major leagues, like the NFL, which recently added regular-season games to their official calendar.

Do you like this idea? Do you think there are still too many preseason games?

It’s incredible to say, but this entire discussion was triggered by the major injury suffered by Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine.

It seems like this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.