NHL, NHLPA agree to begin Holiday Break after Dec. 21 games

NEW YORK/TORONTO -- With no games currently scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 22, because of COVID-related postponements, the National Hockey League and NHL Players' Association have agreed to postpone the five games that remain scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 23, in order to begin the collectively-bargained Holiday Break effective with the conclusion of games tomorrow night, Dec. 21.

Under the revised schedule, Dec. 22, Dec. 23, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) shall be off days for all purposes -- including travel.
This includes the Stars' road game against Chicago slated for Thursday, Dec. 23. (Dallas' home game vs. Winnipeg on Wednesday, Dec. 22 was already postponed due to the concern about cross-border travel and the fluid nature of federal travel restrictions.)
Players will report back to their Clubs on Dec. 26, which shall be used for testing, practice and/or travel only. Upon return from the Holiday Break to team facilities, no individual in the team's Traveling Party shall enter the facility (other than for testing purposes) until they have a negative test result. Any practice scheduled for Dec. 26 must begin after 2:00 p.m. local time.
The league's regular-season schedule will resume on Monday, Dec. 27.