Some of the league’s top players say they’re hoping for the 2019-20 playoffs to kick off in the middle of summer.

TSN’s Frank Seravalli reported some players have gotten together and suggested a training camp in July ahead of a standard 16-team, seven-game series playoffs.

A training camp of some kind is going to be crucial for the players no matter when hockey returns. Under this proposition, the regular season would be scrapped and I’d imagine that the league would base the playoffs off of points%.

Pushing the draft and free agency allllll the way back to October would be…. weird…. but it still might be a best-case scenario. It’s clear that players are wanting to close out this season and honestly, who can blame them?

The news comes a day after a report suggested NHL front offices are in favor of a 24-team playoff format that would see the Flames meet the Winnipeg Jets in the first round.

On Twitter: @zjlaing