Posted on 05/26/2020 2:30:50 PM PDT by airborne
The NHL announced its Return to Play Plan on Tuesday with the Stanley Cup Playoffs that will include 24 teams.
The tournament will begin with a 16-team, eight-series Qualifying Round and a Seeding Round Robin among the top four teams in each conference to determine seeds for the First Round.
The NHL paused the regular season March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus and it will not be completed. The 12 qualifying teams from the Eastern and Western conferences were determined by points percentage as of that date. Seven teams did not qualify.
"I want to make clear that the health and safety of our players, coaches, essential support staff and our communities are paramount," Commissioner Gary Bettman said in announcing the Return to Play Plan. "While nothing is without risk, ensuring health and safety has been central to all of our planning so far and will remain so.
(Excerpt) Read more at nhl.com ...
I believe Edmonton has had very few COVID-19 cases.
“Ditto the Lions, Tigers and Pistons”
Oh, my...
Basically, yes.
Back in the 80s the fans and Media were getting fed up with the Minnesota North Stars and their play. Someone within the organization told the media that they always played just well enough during the regular season to get into the playoffs, then they actually started playing serious.
Their fan base disappeared after that and they ended up being sold to Texas as the Dallas Stars.
Blackhawks are in the ‘playoffs’! Assist: Covid (19)
So it was all worth it. ;-D
But playoffs in this format should be good, with rested players and others recovering from what were supposed to be season ending injuries. If Stamkos gets back, the Lightning (and Bruins) will be hard to beat. Vegas will come out of the West IMHO.
When Blackhawks was two words, those were indeed the old days.
I should add, if Guentzel somehow recovers in time, the Pens will be as strong as anyone else.
The most hockey I ever watched was some replays spliced into a 1962 or 3 episode of The Saint.
He was for the Maple Leafs in that one.
Before that, George Gund III moved on from the North Stars and the Sharks were born, with much of the core coming from Minnesota. Ironically, the Sharks have been historically good in the regular season and mediocre in the playoffs.
I bet the Alberta will try its darnedest
It’s going to be interesting to see how the odds makers react to the format.
It could be a good time to put money down on a few teams depending on how the numbers fall.
The Penguin ‘s goaltending could be great or disastrous. Murray was unpredictable this year.
They’ve finally figured out a way to be even less selective than 16 of 21.
As SI said in a hockey pre-season issue in the late 70’s: and here are the five teams we think will not make the playoffs, which in hockey is like not making the phone book.
A sad day ...
Just please dear hockey gods, don’t shut it all down if some players get sick!! Keep playing! These healthy guys are at no risk for death!
I am betting on vegas too, because CA and L.A. “rulers” don’t know anything about making money or running a state or city in any decent way.
They have no ice but they’ve been working out like hell and their injuries have all healed - as much as possible.
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