The professional NHL ice hockey tournament stopped on March 12, the day after the NBA and on Tuesday, their “commissioner” Gary Bettman revealed a recovery plan.

The first important clarification: there is no day to improve and NHL simply talks about “the end of this summer” to resume the matches because in the best case, the “training camp” will start from day 1 to 15 July.

A rebound in two cities

NHL wants to resume in two cities. One city per conference and many cities have offered to host each, like Los Angeles, Chicago or even Vancouver and Toronto.

Interestingly, the tournament decided to disrupt its conventional system and continue with a new and original formula in form. Therefore, the recovery will affect only 24 of the 31 concessions, the best 12 teams in each conference at the end of the season. Seven franchises will not participate in the resumption of this season integrated into the publisher’s Lottery process for Draft 2020.

On ice, the first phase will be split between a Robin Robin Circle and Qualifying Circle. An unprecedented format that the NBA will also have in its boxes, and that will satisfy Damian Lillard and those who want a tournament for teams fighting for a place in the playoff round.

ROBIN ROUND

Two groups with four top teams from each conference at the end of the season to identify seeds 1 to 4 for each conference. Each team thus plays three games.

QUALITY ROUND

Teams are currently classified from 5th to 12th place in each competitive conference in a preliminary round to the playoffs with round 5 facing 12th, 6th vs 11th, etc. Best of five rounds to access playoffs.

Eight winners of the series (four per conference) qualify for playoffs

Classic format even if the duration of the first and semi-finals of the conference has not been determined. Then, the conference final and a Stanley Cup in the best seven matches.

LOTTERY

Fifteen franchisees will participate in the lottery to determine the order of selection for the Draft. It will involve seven non-participating teams at the end of the season, and eight teams will be disqualified. NHL offers a two-step online lottery program, based on the results of three draws.

If in the first phase, on June 26, the first three selections will belong to the qualifying teams. Then, it is necessary to wait for the second phase of the Lottery, to be conducted before the playoff round to know the identities of the teams.