It's official.
The NHL's Board of Governors and the NHLPA both voted in favor of the league's package deal that includes a plan to finish the 2019-20 NHL season, and a four-year extension to the current collective bargaining agreement that ensures labor peace through the 2025-26 season.
"While we have all worked very hard to try to address the risks of COVID-19, we know that health and safety are and will continue to be our priorities," Gary Bettman said in a statement. "We know that all of our fans are excited about our return to the ice next month and that has been our goal since we paused our season on March 12.”
TSN's Frank Seravalli reported that the NHLPA voted 502-135 in favor of the CBA extension and plan to resume the season.
The Penguins will open training camp at the Lemieux Complex on Monday
The NHL has scheduled five games for Aug. 1, the first day of the qualifying round. The Penguins and Canadiens' matchup is one of those five games. Game 2 will be on Aug. 3, and Game 3 will be on Aug. 5. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will be on Aug. 7 and 8:
NHLYes, that means that the Penguins could potentially play Game 4 on Sidney Crosby's birthday.
The start times for the qualifying round games in Toronto will be: Noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET. The start times for the three game windows in Edmonton will be: 2 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET, and may fluctuate by up to 30 minutes during the qualifying round.
Here is the schedule of critical dates for the remainder of the 2019-20 NHL season:
July 13 -- Training camps open
July 26 -- Travel to hub city
July 28-30 -- Exhibition games
Aug 1. -- Qualifying round begins
Aug. 10 -- NHL Draft Lottery Phase 2
Aug. 11 -- First round begins
Aug. 25 -- Second round begins
Sept. 8 -- Conference Finals begin
Sept. 22 -- Stanley Cup Final begins
Oct. 4 -- Last possible day of playoffs
Oct. 9-10 -- 2020 NHL Draft
