Gary Bettman and the NHL have announced a revised 24-team playoff format to be able to complete the 2020 playoffs and award a Stanley Cup for this season. This would be fantastic news, except there has been no start-date announced, along with other key details left out. Is it promising though? Absolutely. This also means that the remainder of the 2019-2020 season has been cancelled, and in doing so has named the Bruins as President’s Trophy winners with an even 100 points on the season. Along with that, David Pastrnak will be a co-winner of the Richard trophy with Alex Ovechkin, each of them having scored 48 goals. *Insert Billy Mays (RIP)* but wait, there’s more: Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak will be taking home the William M. Jennings trophy for leading the league in goals against average (2.39).
Now, that’s all well and good, but let’s get back to how this makeshift postseason is going to work. There will be two “hub cities” that the league has yet to either disclose or decide upon, where all of these games will take place to eradicate all the issues that come with traveling and potential virus spread. Quoting the NHL, “In each conference, the top four teams by points percentage at [the pause of the season] (March 12) will play for first round seeding. These teams will play against each of the other top four teams from their conference. These games will be played with regular-season OT and shootout rules, with ties in the final standings broken by regular-season points percentage.” Following this will be a best-of-five qualifying round. “Seeds 5-12 in each conference based on points percentage will meet in best-of-five series to advance to the first round; playoff rules apply.”
This is all very exciting stuff, all also under the assumption that there will be no fans in attendance, which in itself will be an incredibly unique playoff atmosphere. I mean think about it, no home ice advantage, no playoff towels, zero travel, and likely sub-par playoff beards.
It’s looking more and more like there will be a Stanley Cup champion crowned this summer… but there’s still a lot of logistics to figure out before skates hit the ice.
Stay tuned.

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