NHL Plans To Restart Season July 30, Stanley Cup Final To Conclude By Oct. 2
The NHL and NHLPA are finalizing plans to resume the 2019-20 season, the 2020 entry draft draft, free agency and the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
According to TSN's Frank Seravalli, the league's "tentative" return to play schedule will see teams travel to the hub cities (to be announced) on July 24, with exhibition games commencing the following day.
The best-of-five qualifying round matchups are scheduled to begin on July 30, with first and second rounds of the playoffs to begin on Aug. 9 and 23, respectively. The Conference Finals will start on Sept. 6, with the Stanley Cup Final running from Sept. 20 to Oct. 2, if there's a necessary Game 7.
The dates are subject to change, per Seravalli.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman added that Oct. 6 is the "tentative date" for the entry draft, with the 2020-21 regular season beginning on Dec. 1 - just two months after the conclusion of the 2019-20 campaign.
Although the league has yet to announce the hub cities, the expectation is that they'll select Edmonton, Alberta and Toronto, Ontario.
Earlier this week, the two sides "agreed in principle" to extend the CBA for four years - through the 2025-26 season. The expectation is that the CBA will allow NHL players to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics.
RELATED: [Report] Toronto & Edmonton Will Be NHL's Hub Cities For Resumption Of Play
Major League Baseball is slated to begin on July 23, with four teams in action. The remaining 26 teams will open their seasons on 24. The NBA, like the NHL, is planning for a resumption of play on July 30 - in the hub city of Orlando, Florida.
Under the NHL's return to play format, 24 teams will compete for the Stanley Cup. The Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals all received first round byes. They'll participate in a round robin to determine the No. 1 to 4 seeds in their respective conferences.
The qualifying matchups will pit the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Chicago Blackhawks, the Nashville Predators vs. the Arizona Coyotes, the Calgary Flames vs. the Winnipeg Jets, the Vancouver Canucks vs. the Minnesota Wild, the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. the Montreal Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets, the New York Islanders vs. the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers vs. the Carolina Hurricanes.
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