It feels like we’ve been waiting on this forever, but the NHL and NHLPA have finally done it. The two sides have officially agreed on terms to bring back the 2020 season starting in August.
We’ve known what the plan would look like for a while. The NHLPA agreed to a format for the return all the way back in May. But there were still scheduling concerns, safety concerns and financial ramifications from coronavirus that needed to be agreed upon. Friday night’s deal took care of the rest of that.
The league and the NHLPA agreed on a return to play plan for this season as well as a four-year extension to the current collective bargaining agreement that extends through the 2025-26 season.
NHL and NHLPA ratify four-year CBA extension and Return to Play Plan. #StanleyCup Qualifiers to begin August 1. https://t.co/IErZJ2hifT pic.twitter.com/f5HgirRFLB
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 10, 2020
The current plan has the season officially beginning with playoff qualifiers on August 1. The playoffs will start on August 11.
There is one big quirk. Instead of just having teams playing in one bubble like other leagues are doing, the NHL is using Edmenton and Toronto as their two “hub” cities to host their playoff games. Teams will be able to hold training camps between Friday when the deal was signed on the 10th and July 26th before traveling to their respective hubs.
The Stanley Cup Finals will begin on September 22 with a last possible day of playing on October 4. Phase 2 of their draft lottery for teams who fail to qualify for the playoffs is scheduled for August 10 and the draft will begin on October 9.
Players have until 5 p.m. on Monday to opt out without penalty
Players will have until 5 p.m. ET on Monday to exercise their penalty-free right to opt out of the 2019-20 RTP. Must do so in writing to the NHLPA and NHL Central Registry.
— Bobby Margarita (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 10, 2020
It’s been a long time coming, but hockey is back, folks.
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