Scotiabank Arena -- Canadian Press

By Connor Gunn

NHL announces return to play plan

May 26, 2020 | 3:41 PM

TORONTO, ON- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the plan in place to return to action safely.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but, this plan can put at least a schedule together and an outline.

The new schedule will force the league to continue the season straight into playoffs.

Therefore, the teams currently on the outside of the playoffs, with not get to be apart of the action.

The League, which has been paused since March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, will restart with two hub cities each hosting 12 teams from one conference.

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Bettman announced the top four teams in each conference will play each other once which amounts to three games per team.

This round-robin tournament will decide the top four seeds for the next round.

These games will be played with regular-season overtime and shootout rules. Ties in the final standings will be broken by regular-season points percentage.

The other eight teams decided by point percentage will play in four best-of-five series for the Qualifying Round, with the winners advancing to play against the top four seeds.

Each of the two conferences will play with this format if all goes according to plan.

Bettman addressed the finish of the season.

“Our players and our teams are clear that they want to play and bring the season to its rightful conclusion.”

Bettman believes this is the only way to return to play safely and he exclaims the host cities are still to be determined and that the NHL and the National Hockey Players Association are thrilled to have a plan put in place.