DALLAS -- National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday announced that if play can continue, the league will dive straight into the playoffs, and Dallas is being considered as one of the hub cities for play.

What You Need To Know


  • If possible, NHL will resume with 24-team playoff format

  • Dallas being considered as possible hub city

  • Two hub cities will host 12 teams from each conference

  • Decision on hub cities will be made in conjunction with local health officials

It's somewhat of a long shot. Also being considered are Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois; Columbus, Ohio; Las Vegas, Nevada; Edmonton, Alberta; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Toronto, Ontario; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The playoff format will look a little different. Twenty-four teams will compete for the Stanley Cup in two hub cities. Each hub will play host to the top 12 teams during the regular season in each conference. If Dallas were chosen, it would likely host the Western Conference.

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The Dallas Stars are in the mix, a top-seeded team in the West.

Bettman said a final decision on hub cities will be made in conjunction with local health officials.

Training camps won’t open until at least July 1, and Bettman said the playoffs could extend into the fall.

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Under this format, the top four teams in each conference will play for seeding, and the other 16 teams will face off in a best-of-five series.