Nothing is official yet, but the rumors are getting louder and more prevalent for an NHL return.
According to multiple reports, the NHL is leaning toward expanding the postseason to 24 teams and only bringing back those teams - six per division. Each Division would have one arena as a home base where all games would take place. The NHL hasn’t determined which four cities would host yet. Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs presented TD Garden as an option to be one of those four.
According to Pierre LeBrun of the Athletic and Canada’s TSN, talks in the Return to Play Committee progressed over the weekend leading into Monday’s Board of Governors meeting. He tweeted:
“Sources indicate the Return To Play Committee has talked throughout the weekend, NHL-NHLPA making progress on a 24-team format. Sources also stressing there’s still work to be done, but clearly the weekend has produced some traction. More talks expected over next day or two.”
Followed by:
“Again, tough to handicap at this point whether a format gets agreed upon this week or not but definite progress. A reminder that the NHL has a Board of Governors call Monday at 3 p.m. ET; and that the league may announce decision on the draft this week”
According to Renaud Lavoie, at TV Sports in Canada one option being explored is that each team will play five games against divisional opponents before the start of the postseason. They would serve as both tune-up games and the final five regular-season games. Because teams won’t all have played the same number of total games, the percentage of available points earned would be how seeds are determined.
In each division No. 3 would face No. 6 and No. 4 would play No. 5 in best of three series with the top two earning byes. Under that format, the Boston Bruins would be guaranteed a first-round bye because none of the bottom four teams in the Atlantic Division would be capable of catching the Bruins.
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May 18, 2020 at 05:17PM
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NHL Restart: Latest possible plan has 24-team postseason in four locations (report) - MassLive.com
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