The future should be a lot clearer for the Vegas Golden Knights by the end of the day.
It was announced earlier that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will make a formal announcement today at 1:30 pm PT regarding the 24-team Playoff format, which should make compelling reading for Vegas Golden Knights fans.
Per Bob McKenzie of TSN, details of both the NHL Draft and the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery could also be revealed by Bettman, with John Shannon reporting that there will be lots of news to digest.
So, in a nutshell, today could be another significant day in regards to the 2019-20 NHL season returning at some point this year.
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There are certainly a lot of questions to be answered, including updates on Hub Cities, Testing and the exact format of the 24-team Playoff format, so it will be interesting to see what nuggets of information we are given.
Bettman’s Press Conference will be streamed on NBCSN, and on Sportsnet for those of you in Canada, at 1:30 PM PT.
A call is also scheduled with NHL GM’s at 12:00 PM PT before Bettman goes public, so I am expecting something substantial today.
Granted, there are some who believe that Bettman will stick to the logistics of the 24-team Playoff format, with plenty still needing to be thrashed out when it comes to Testing and Hub Cities.
I would also be surprised if Bettman offers us any firm dates when it comes to Training Camps or the postseason itself, given that Phase 2 of the Return To Play Plan was only announced on Monday, which you can read here.
Instead, concrete details about the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the 2020 Lottery Draft and how exactly the 24-team Playoff format will look should be the main topics on the agenda.
So, what should Golden Knights fans be looking out for?
For starters, the Lottery Draft won’t hold any meaning given that Vegas will be involved in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the date for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and how it will take place will be of interest.
The main point of interest for the Golden Knights, however, will be the breakdown of the 24-team Playoff format.
PROGRAMMING NOTE:@NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will appear on NBCSN today to make an announcement about the league's Return To Play Plan.
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) May 26, 2020
⏰4:30 p.m. ET
📺 NBCSN
Will the in-conference, three-game tournament between the top seeds go towards seeding in the postseason?
Will the 16-team Stanley Cup Playoffs be reseeded or bracketed?
Will the First Round be best-of-seven or best-of-five like the Play-In games as rumored?
Is there a tentative timeframe for the postseason beginning?
Will there be Expanded Rosters for the Playoffs as expected?
There are a lot of hurdles to jump over and it is unlikely that Bettman will be able to address everything today.
However, if he can lay out a clear plan for the 24-team Playoff format and shed some light on the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, that should be enough for Golden Knights fans for now.
One thing is clear, though, and that’s the fact that the NHL really seems to be gathering momentum now and it could mean the return of the Vegas Golden Knights sooner rather than later.
Again, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s Press Conference will be on NBCSN at 1:30 PM PT this afternoon.
We’ll be back with a breakdown of whatever is announced.