tentatively agreed to on Monday and approved nearly four months to the day since the NHL halted its season with 189 games remaining.Barring a setback, hockey is scheduled to resume with an expanded 24-team playoff format involving the top-12 teams in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences, beginning with a qualifying round and the first two rounds played in Canada.
If all proceeds as planned, the Stanley Cup Final would begin in late September in Edmonton, with the 2020-21 season scheduled to open in December.The 24 teams can now plan to open training camps Monday, which will also serve as a deadline for players to opt out of competition without penalty.