Jordan Staal once joked about leaving the New York Rangers out of NHL playoff plans if the season resumed.

And now? Staal, captain of the Carolina Hurricanes, had to do a little back-tracking Wednesday in media Zoom call.

Yes, he did tease brother Marc Staal, the veteran Rangers defenseman, during an NHL zoom call two weeks after the NHL ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- The NHL unveiled its plan to complete the 2019-20 season, confirming a 24-team restart format that wouldn't include the Kings or Ducks, effectively ending their seasons.

The Return to Play Plan, which received approval from the league and NHL Players' Association before being announced by Commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday, ...Read more

The Carolina Hurricanes were one of two NHL teams to vote against a 24-team return to play format that has been approved by the NHL Players' Association executive board.

Why? Jordan Martinook, the team's player representative to the NHLPA, said Monday the Canes believed an extra play-in round, as proposed, would not only lengthen the 2020 ...Read more

Expecting to permit its players to return to team facilities in the coming weeks, the NHL on Monday issued a 21-page memo to its teams and players laying out guidelines that will be in place for Phase 2 of the return-to-play protocol.

In Phase 2, which the memo said will be "strictly voluntary," players will be allowed to skate in small groups....Read more

CHICAGO -- The NHL's players union approved a playoff format that will send 24 teams to the postseason when the league lifts its coronavirus lockdown. The Blackhawks would face the Oilers in a five-game playoff series in their return to play.

Though it was rumored as a likely scenario when NHL play resumed, it still represents an incredible ...Read more

The NHL Players' Association approved the general concept of the NHL's proposal to resume play and complete the 2019-20 season, saying Friday it will continue talks with the league regarding key points of the return-to-play plan.

"The Executive Board of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) has authorized further negotiations ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- The NHL is zeroing in on a return-to-play plan that would skip the remainder of the regular season and open with a 24-team playoff format played out in two hub cities without fans in the stands. That would freeze out the Anaheim Ducks and the Los Angeles Kings, who ranked 27th and 28th, respectively, among the league's 31 teams ...Read more

PITTSBURGH -- Talks surrounding a return to play are heating up in the NHL.

Sportsnet is reporting "nothing is set in stone," but the NHL and the NHL Players' Association are discussing a plan that would jump directly into a 24-team, conference-based playoff format.

In this expanded playoff scenario, the top four teams in each conference would...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- A 24-team NHL tournament -- play-in games would be followed by the 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs -- could become a reality this summer.

The NHL suspended its season March 12 because of the coronavirus outbreak, but the league's board of governors had a conference call Monday afternoon and discussed several topics. Among them: ...Read more

The NHL continues to consider options to finish this season, with the selection of multiple "hub" cities appearing to offer the most likely path to accomplish that.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday the league is considering "probably eight or nine different places" that could accommodate "a dozen or so teams in one location," according to ...Read more

CHICAGO -- The NHL could announce plans to finish its stalled season as early as next week, according to multiple reports.

And if the Return to Play committee -- formed by league officials and the players union -- sticks with one proposal that has been discussed for weeks, the season would jump right to the playoffs under a 24-team play-in ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Citing the players' health concerns, Washington Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas, a former Flyer, said the NHL should cancel the rest of its season.

The season was suspended March 12 because of the coronavirus outbreak, and the league has said it is hopeful of returning. It is reviewing several scenarios, including a format that ...Read more

Like everybody else, Chris Zimmerman doesn't know exactly how it will happen. But he thinks the NHL will get there.

"I do believe we are going to complete the 2019-20 season," Zimmerman, the Blues' president and CEO of business operations, told the Post-Dispatch. "As the commissioner (Gary Bettman) has said, first and foremost is we have to ...Read more

Erik Karlsson is mindful of the playoff and Stanley Cup aspirations of other players around the NHL but doesn't see much reason for the Sharks to come back and try to finish what's left of the regular season.

While commissioner Gary Bettman is optimistic the NHL can restart play at some point this summer, the league has not decided whether to ...Read more

PITTSBURGH -- Penguins president and CEO David Morehouse told team employees on Monday that the team plans to institute a four-month unpaid leave of absence program for a number of employees because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Penguins say those impacted by this program, which begins June 1, will remain team employees and receive full health ...Read more

The direction the Sharks take with their coaching staff for next season will likely have an impact on what the Barracuda's staff will look like whenever the AHL is able to resume play.

Jimmy Bonneau and Michael Chiasson were named interim co-coaches of the Barracuda in December when Roy Sommer was promoted to become the Sharks' associate coach ...Read more

The American Hockey League canceled its season and its Calder Cup playoffs Monday because of coronavirus concerns, but its decision will not have an effect on the NHL's desire to continue playing in the near future.

Bill Daly, the NHL's deputy commissioner, said the AHL's announcement will have "no impact" on his league.

"We remain fully ...Read more