2019–20 NHL season
The 2019–20 NHL season was the 103rd season of operation (102nd season of play) of the National Hockey League. The regular season began on October 2, 2019, with playoffs originally planned for April and the Stanley Cup Finals planned for June. The season was suspended indefinitely on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
| 2019–20 NHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | October 2, 2019 – March 11, 2020 August 1 – September 28, 2020 |
| Number of games | 68–71 |
| Number of teams | 31 |
| TV partner(s) | CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada) NBCSN, NBC, CNBC, USA (United States) |
| Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Jack Hughes |
| Picked by | New Jersey Devils |
| Regular season | |
| Presidents' Trophy | Boston Bruins |
| Season MVP | Leon Draisaitl (Oilers) |
| Top scorer | Leon Draisaitl (Oilers) |
| Playoffs | |
| Playoffs MVP | Victor Hedman (Lightning) |
| Stanley Cup | |
| Champions | Tampa Bay Lightning |
| Runners-up | Dallas Stars |
On May 22, 2020, the NHL and National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) agreed to a framework for the resumption of play, which would see the remainder of the regular season scrapped, and the top 12 teams in each conference (by points percentage) competing in a modified and expanded Stanley Cup playoffs, which the NHL planned to hold in two centralized "hub cities", Toronto's Scotiabank Arena and Edmonton's Rogers Place, with no spectators and only essential staff present.
The playoffs began on August 1, 2020, and ended on September 28, with the Tampa Bay Lightning defeating the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Finals in six games, winning their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.