The NHL and the NHLPA said in a joint statement that the length of the camps and the start date for resumption of play will be determined at a future date.The league suspended its schedule in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The return-to-play blueprint – which will eventually require the approval of health and government officials to get off the ground in two “hub” cities – would begin with separate, three-game round-robin tournaments for the top-4 clubs in both the Eastern and Western Conference. The league said any ties at the end of round-robin play will be broken by regular-season points percentage, and that the seeding order will stay the same throughout the playoffs.
The remaining franchises would take part in eight best-of-five qualifying round series, leaving the NHL with its traditional 16-team playoff.