Yes, you read the title right..hockey is back! There are plenty of details to go over so lets dive on in.
This evening, the NHL and NHLPA ratified the Return to Play plan, as well as a new 4 year extension on the CBA, which will now go until the end of the 2025-26 season.
The vote from all NHLPA members was 502-135 in favour of both the RTP plan and CBA. One major thing included in the CBA is the NHL’s participation at the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics.
As expected, the hub cities are: Toronto (Eastern Conference), Edmonton (Western Conference). Edmonton will host both Conference Finals, as well as the Stanley Cup Final.
Now that we know hockey will be back, lets take a look at the dates for the rest of summer/fall.
*- Tentative date.
- July 13th: Training Camps Open.
- July 26th: Teams Travel to Hub Cities.
- July 28th-30th: Exhibition Games.
- August 1st: Start of Qualifying Round and Round Robin.
- August 10th*: Phase 2 of NHL Draft Lottery.
- August 11th: First Round Begins.
- August 25th*: Second Round Begins.
- September 8th*: Conference Finals Begin.
- September 22nd*: Stanley Cup Final Begins.
- October 4th*: Last Possible Day of Final.
- October 9th-10th*: 2020 NHL Draft.
As I’ve mentioned in a previous post regarding the format for the playoffs this year, the top 4 teams in each conference will play in a round robin to determine seeding for the 1st round of the playoffs, while the other 8 teams in each conference will play in a best of 5 qualifying round.
The NHL also released the daily schedule for the Qualifying Round and Round Robin (August 1st-9th). Although as of right now, no times have been announced.
- August 1st: New York R vs Carolina; Florida vs New York I; Montreal vs Pittsburgh; Chicago vs Edmonton; Winnipeg vs Calgary.
- August 2nd: Philadelphia vs Boston; Columbus vs Toronto; St. Louis vs Colorado; Arizona vs Nashville; Minnesota vs Vancouver.
- August 3rd: Washington vs Tampa Bay; New York R vs Carolina; Montreal vs Pittsburgh; Dallas vs Vegas; Chicago vs Edmonton; Winnipeg vs Calgary.
- August 4th: Columbus vs Toronto; Carolina vs New York R; Florida vs New York I; Arizona vs Nashville; Minnesota vs Vancouver; Calgary vs Winnipeg.
- August 5th: Tampa Bay vs Boston; New York I vs Florida; Pittsburgh vs Montreal; Colorado vs Dallas; Nashville vs Arizona; Edmonton vs Chicago.
- August 6th: Washington vs Philadelphia; Toronto vs Columbus; Carolina vs New York R (If necessary); Vegas vs St. Louis; Vancouver vs Minnesota; Calgary vs Winnipeg (If necessary).
- August 7th: Toronto vs Columbus (If necessary); New York I vs Florida (If necessary); Pittsburgh vs Montreal (If necessary); Nashville vs Arizona (If necessary); Edmonton vs Chicago (If necessary); Vancouver vs Minnesota (If necessary).
- August 8th: Boston vs Washington; New York R vs Carolina (If necessary); Montreal vs Pittsburgh (If necessary); Vegas vs Colorado; Chicago vs Edmonton (If necessary); Winnipeg vs Calgary (If necessary).
- August 9th: Philadelphia vs Tampa Bay; Columbus vs Toronto (If necessary); Florida vs New York I (If necessary); Dallas vs St. Louis; Arizona vs Nashville (If necessary); Minnesota vs Vancouver (If necessary).
This is shaping up to be an exciting summer/early fall filled with hockey! Thanks for reading as always.
-Cooper.