NHL and Players’ Association have agreed on a return-to-play plan

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the league and the NHL Players’ Association have agreed on a return-to-play format for the 2019-20 season.

24 team operation that would see the top-4 clubs in the Eastern and Western Conference play two mini round-robin tournaments to determine seeding for the playoffs.

The other eight teams in each conference would play best-of-five “play-in” series.

Bettman says the first- and second-round playoff matchups could be either best-of-five or best-of-seven series, but the conference finals and Stanley Cup final will be best-of-seven.