We’re one step closer to finally getting the NHL back in action.
The NHL Player Association’s executive board voted to approve a 24-team, conference-based playoff format on Friday night to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, according to a report from the Washington Post.
The format proposed includes a bye for the top four seeds in each conference determined by points percentage and a best-of-5 “play-in” tournament for the bottom 16 teams.
They don’t quite have an official return date just yet, but the league is one step closer to resuming and they seem to have the players’ cooperation. The NHLPA released a statement on the format Friday night.
The NHLPA Executive Board has authorized further negotiations with the NHL on a 24-team return to play format, subject to reaching an overall agreement with the League on resuming the 2019-20 season: https://t.co/SIzQYyooEE pic.twitter.com/9TftmApiGJ
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) May 23, 2020
There are some details that still need to be hammered out to make this happen.
They still have to figure out where the bubble sites they’ll host these games will be and, most importantly, they need to figure out the best testing protocols and how to keep everyone safe.
But still, this train has actually left the station. And with everything the way it is right now, this is pretty much all we can ask for.