According to a memo sent to teams this week, the NHL expects that 30 of its 32 arenas would open at 100 percent capacity in 2021-22 season.
The Montreal Canadiens will open at 33% capacity (or around 7,500 fans) due to COVID-19 restrictions. Vancouver Canucks will also open at less than 50% capacity. Although the NHL has not yet determined the percentage, it was initially believed to be around 50%.
According to the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to be full this season. According to the Toronto Star, the team has been restricted to 9,500 fans (50%) at Scotiabank Arena this weekend for their preseason match against Ottawa.
This memo also clarified the current testing and vaccine requirements for NHL fans who wish to enter arenas. This week, 10 of 32 league arenas will allow only vaccinated fans into the games. These include: The Buffalo Sabres; Calgary Flames; Montreal Canadiens; New York Rangers; Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks.
Eight teams will accept proof of vaccination or a negative COVID testing: The Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers.
Although 14 teams are listed in the memo that don't require fans to undergo a negative or vaccination test to be able to attend games, some teams still have not finalized their COVID policies.
According to the memo, 21 teams require masks for fans in their arenas. Only unvaccinated fans are required to wear masks by the Ducks.
For children aged 12 and below, there are 25 teams that require masks. For young fans, the Ducks, Kings and Islanders require a mask as well as a negative COVID test. The Predators also require a mask.
14 teams will use a card to prove vaccination. Eight teams plan to use a mobile app. Four teams are using the CLEAR biometric identification.
