The National Hockey League Players’ Association executive board approved a proposal to resume the 2019-20 season with a 24-team, conference-based playoff format.
Other issues remain to be worked out between the two sides before the players will return to the ice, the union said.
The executive board includes a representative from each of the league’s 31 teams.
Under the plan, byes into the second round would go to the top four seeds in each conference based on points percentage as of March 12, when the NHL paused the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Based on that, the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference would be the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. The top four Western Conference teams would be the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars. Those teams would play in a three-game tournament to stay sharp, SportsNet reported.