Advertisement

NHL to resume virus-interrupted season next month with Stanley Cup tournament in Canada

SHOWS:

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - JUNE 27, 2020) (WASHINGTON CAPITALS - Broadcaster and Digital: MUST COURTESY 'WASHINGTON CAPITALS')

1. ALEX OVECHKIN WALKING OUT OF LOCKER ROOM AT MEDSTAR CAPITALS ICEPLEX WHERE WASHINGTON CAPITALS TRAIN

2. VARIOUS OF OVECHKIN AND CAPITALS TEAM PRACTICE SESSION

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (FILE - MARCH 12, 2020) (USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES - Broadcasters and Digital: MUST COURTESY 'USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES') (MUTE)

3. STILL PHOTO OF EXTERIOR OF SCOTIABANK ARENA WHERE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS PLAY HOME GAMES AND WILL SERVE AS HUB CITY FOR EASTERN CONFERENCE TEAMS

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (FILE - FEBRUARY 29, 2020) (USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES - Broadcasters and Digital: MUST COURTESY 'USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES') (MUTE)

4. STILL PHOTO OF TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS PLAYERS CELEBRATING AFTER SCORING GOAL AGAINST THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS AT SCOTIABANK ARENA

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA (FILE - MARCH 13, 2020) (USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES - Broadcasters and Digital: MUST COURTESY 'USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES') (MUTE)

5. STILL PHOTO OF EXTERIOR OF ROGERS PLACE WHERE EDMONTON OILERS PLAY HOME GAMES AND WILL SERVE AS HUB CITY FOR WESTERN CONFERENCE TEAMS AND THE STANLEY CUP FINALS

EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA (FILE - JANUARY 18, 2020) (USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES - Broadcasters and Digital: MUST COURTESY 'USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES') (MUTE)

6. STILL PHOTO OF EDMONTON OILERS FORWARD CONNOR MCDAVID (#97) CELEBRATING WITH TEAMMATES AFTER SCORING A GOAL AGAINST THE ARIZONA COYOTES AT ROGERS PLACE

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES (FILE - JUNE 12, 2019) (USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES - Broadcasters and Digital: MUST COURTESY 'USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGES') (MUTE)

7. STILL PHOTO OF THE ST. LOUIS BLUES POSING FOR PHOTO AFTER DEFEATING THE BOSTON BRUINS AT TD GARDEN TO WIN STANLEY CUP AND FINISH THE 2018-19 NHL SEASON

INTERNET (JULY 10, 2020) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

8. STILL IMAGE FROM NHL PUBLIC RELATIONS TWITTER PAGE, SAYING:

"NHL and NHLPA ratify four-year CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) extension and Return to Play Plan. #StanleyCup Qualifiers to begin August 1."

9. STILL IMAGE FROM THE STANLEY CUP'S TWITTER PAGE, SAYING:

"I'm Back."

STORY: The National Hockey League will resume its virus-interrupted season next month with a Stanley Cup tournament in Canada after players ratified a return-to-play plan and extension to a labor deal, both sides said on Friday (July 10).

An expanded 24-team Stanley Cup Playoffs will now start on Aug. 1 in Edmonton and Toronto without fans, nearly five months after the NHL halted its season due to COVID-19.

"Today the NHL and NHLPA announced a significant agreement that addresses the uncertainty everyone is dealing with, the framework for the completion of the 2019-20 season and the foundation for continued long-term growth in our league," Commissioner Gary Bettman said.

"We know that all of our fans are excited about our return to the ice next month and that has been our goal since we paused our season on March 12."

NHLPA executive director Don Fehr called the deal "a meaningful step forward for the players and owners, and for our game, in a difficult and uncertain time.

"Most importantly, we are pleased to be able to bring NHL hockey back to the fans," he said.

A key part of the labor agreement, which will extend the current deal that ends September 2022 for four years until 2026, is a pact to have the world's best ice hockey players return to the global stage in 2022 and 2026 after the NHL sat out the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

The decision to return to the Olympics, however, is still pending negotiation with both the International Ice Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee.

There were three weeks and 189 games left in the NHL's 2019-20 regular season when play was suspended in March, but the league eventually declared the regular season over in favor of getting right into the post season.

Absent a COVID-19 outbreak that brings a halt to action, the Stanley Cup, traditionally awarded in June, would be presented in October.

The concept of staging the playoffs in two hub cities is the NHL's attempt to minimize COVID-risk by limiting travel for the participating teams, who will all be tested prior to departure and on a regular basis once inside the secure zone.

The NHL's Western Conference teams will play in Edmonton while the Eastern Conference teams will start competition in Toronto. Edmonton will host both conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final.

Under the unique playoff format, the top four seeds in each conference will receive byes through a play-in tournament but would take part in a three-game round-robin to stay fresh.

The other 16 teams would compete in a play-in round featuring best-of-five series to determine the rest of a traditional 16-team Stanley Cup playoff bracket.

(Production: David Grip)