Why there’s no NHL games on the schedule today

November 21st is a strange day for the NHL schedule with no games on the calendar. According to Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek, the reasons behind this odd occurrence are quite convoluted.

No NHL games tonight here’s why…
There are only three teams/building available to host games tonight – Vancouver, Calgary, Arizona.

Canadian teams get sent to the US this week for Thanksgiving Eve/Black Friday since home games this week are requested by American teams.

— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) November 21, 2023

Arizona did not want to play back-to-back home games Tuesday and Wednesday.

12 teams playing Wednesday, Friday, Saturday so cannot schedule a Tuesday or that would be 4 games in 5 nights.

Also, the 4 teams who went to Sweden are not available.

— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) November 21, 2023

The Washington Capitals are particularly affected by this scheduling quirk, with their upcoming games falling on Thanksgiving Eve and Black Friday. Their unusual schedule includes a game against the Buffalo Sabres on Thanksgiving Eve, which coincides with one of the busiest travel days of the year. On Black Friday, they face the Edmonton Oilers in the mid-afternoon (3 pm) after a two-game in 10-day stretch with two separate three-day breaks.

Earlier in the season, the NHL introduced Frozen Frenzy, a concept where every team in the NHL played with staggered start times. While the idea was fun and creative, it led to some odd execution. For example, the Capitals’ game against the Toronto Maple Leafs was chosen as the first of ESPN’s tripleheader that night, resulting in an unusually early puck drop at 6 pm on a weekday.

It’s worth noting that the NHL will also have no games on Thanksgiving Day, giving teams two days without playing in three days.