Rangers, Islanders Make Playoffs In NHL's Return To Play Plan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The NHL Players Association voted to approve a playoff structure if hockey restarts.
The regular season would be over and there would be 24 teams, including the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, vying for the Stanley Cup.
The Rangers would play the Carolina Hurricanes while the Isles would take on the Florida Panthers.
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Training camp would begin no earlier than July 1.
Two hub cities could be used, with Las Vegas being a favorite.
The NHL season has been on pause since March 12 due to coronavirus concerns. At the time the season went on break, 1,082 of the 1,271 regular-season games had been played.
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Only seven teams were left out of the postseason, including the New Jersey Devils. The Devils have the second best record among the seven teams who did not qualify.
The Devils had a 28-29-12 record in a regular season that saw both coach John Hynes and general manager Ray Shero fired.
"It is disappointing being left out," interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald said in a video conference call Tuesday. "But you know what? We we respect the league's decision on this. And, you know, it is what it is."
Fitzgerald said management has not informed either him and interim coach Alain Nadreddine whether they would be retained in their current roles next season. He said the team will continue to prepare for the draft, which probably won't be held until after the playoffs end.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)