NHL Will Resume Season on 1 August Following 142-Day Pause

The National Hockey Leauge (NHL) decided to suspend the season on 12 March amid the vast increase in the number of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the United States.

The NHL will resume the season starting with Stanley Cup Qualifiers on 1 August, according to a press release on Friday.

The announcement comes after the NHL and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) agreed to a four-year extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and a Return to Play Plan.

NHL and NHLPA ratify four-year CBA extension and Return to Play Plan. #StanleyCup Qualifiers to begin August 1. https://t.co/IErZJ2hifT pic.twitter.com/f5HgirRFLB

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) July 10, 2020

Teams will play in Edmonton and Toronto, but no visitors are allowed to ensure safety amid the pandemic.

The @NHL hub cities are confirmed. 🏠

East ➡️ Toronto
West ➡️ Edmonton pic.twitter.com/fY0JCxC3JR

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 10, 2020

​The NHL added it will regularly check personnel and individuals who have been in contact with them for coronavirus symptoms.

Earlier, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that no one knows exactly when play could resume, adding that the next NHL season might start in December.