NHL Restart: Owners, players at the brink, complete Return to Play agreement, finalizing CBA (report) - MassLive.com

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The NHL and the NHLPA are nearing the finish line to resume and hopefully complete the 2019-20 season.

The two sides have agreed on the details of how they’d complete this season, but are still hammering out details on the extended collective bargaining agreement. The sides are close and they’re expected to complete it soon.

The Return to Play expands the details of the previous agreed upon format and includes the hub cities of Edmonton and Toronto.

NHL Hub Cities: Toronto, Edmonton to host 2020 playoffs as season close to resuming

The league, which has been shut down since March 12, is returning 24 teams - 12 in each conference. The top four teams in each conference have byes in the opening round and play each other to determine seeding. The bottom eight on each side will square on if best-of-five play-in round game. Once the field has been reduced to 16 teams, the normal four-round tournament will progress in those hub cities with no fans in attendance.

The Bruins, who had the NHL’s best record before the pause will be in the Eastern Conference round robin.

According to ESPN the start of camps has now been pushed back to July 13 with teams beginning travel to hub cities on July 25 with games facing off on Aug. 1. The Stanley Cup would be contested in early October.

All of the return to play protocol and CBA has to be ratified by the full vote of the players and the board of governors (owners).

From ESPN:

“The protocols include an agreement that no player will be penalized if he chooses to opt out, and he does not have to give a reason for wanting to opt out, sources told ESPN. Players have until 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday to notify their teams if they are opting out, sources say. Family members will not be able to join players in the bubble until the conference finals, a source says, and if teams do not comply with the protocols, it could lead to “significant financial penalties” and potential loss of draft picks.”

TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted further details:

“The Phase 3/4 RTP protocol is a 40-page document. Some of the details are as follows: A limit of 30 skaters in Phase 3 with an unlimited number of goalies; Only players eligible to play 2019-20 resumption permitted to skate in Phase 3″

TSN’s Frank Seravelli tweeted:

“#NHL players who are authorized to leave the bubble (for medical reasons or extenuating personal circumstances) can return. They will be forced to quarantine on return pending four negative tests over a four-day period - or longer depending on location or circumstances outside.”