The timing for when the National Hockey League releases the 2013-14 regular-season schedule is dependent on an agreement that is currently being worked on to send NHL players to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said Thursday that the schedule will not be released until the agreement between the NHL, National Hockey League Players' Association, International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation is completed.

"There has been no final agreement on the terms of Olympic participation at this point," Daly told NHL.com. "And unless, or until, there is, the release of the 2013-14 regular-season schedule would be premature. Having said that, we hope that a final resolution on both matters can be achieved in the very near future."

If the sides come together on an Olympic agreement, the NHL would have to suspend the 2013-14 schedule for at least two weeks in February for players to participate in Sochi. NHL players have participated in the past four Olympics, beginning with the Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

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