The 2019-20 NHL regular season began on October 2, 2019, and was going strong until the COVID-19 pandemic halted play on March 12, 2020. Following months of negotiations, the NHL and NHLPA agreed to cancel the remaining regular-season games and restart with a modified playoff format. To accommodate teams who were fighting for a playoff spot, when the season was paused, the top 12 teams in each conference were awarded a 2020 NHL playoff berth.
A one-time revised playoff format adds eight extra teams and the top four contenders in each conference receive a first-round BYE.