It's official: Hockey is back.
Four days after reaching a tentative agreement on the Return to Play plan and a Collective Bargaining Agreement extension, the NHL and NHL Players' Association have ratified the package. The new CBA deal runs through the 2025-26 season, which ensures labor peace for at least the next six years.
Formal training camps are set to open on Monday, and the 2019-20 restart is scheduled to begin on Aug. 1 in the two hub cities of Edmonton and Toronto. The Blackhawks and 11 other Western Conference clubs will head to Edmonton while the 12 Eastern Conference teams will stay in Toronto.
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The Blackhawks will square off against the Oilers in a five-game play-in series for a chance to secure a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The eliminated team will have a 12.5 percent chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
If all goes well, Phase 2 of the NHL Draft Lottery will tentatively take place on Aug. 10 — immediately after the qualifying round — and the Stanley Cup will be awarded no later than Oct. 4.