NHL players suggest playoff series kick off in August

A group of NHL’s top players has suggested that the playoffs for the 2019-20 season be played in August and September.

TSN’s Frank Seravalli reported the players have suggested training camp in early July with the playoffs in the middle of summer.

Having a solid training camp will be important for all players ahead of what would be a standard sixteen team, seven-game series playoffs.

The remainder of the regular season would be scrapped, and I’d imagine that the league would base playoff berths off of points%.

Having the draft and free agency period in October would be so weird, but it might be the best-case scenario amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Players clearly are looking for ways to complete this season and who can blame them.

I’m sure there’s a taste of unfinished business for the players — doubly so for an Oilers club that had faced a plethora of adversity in the last few months of the season all the while maintaining a playoff spot.

The news comes a day after it was reported that NHL front offices favor a 24-team format that would give the Oilers a first-round bye. 

On Twitter: @zjlaing