Bettman to provide return-to-play update Tuesday

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will make a formal announcement Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. ET regarding the league's 2019-20 return-to-play plan.

It will air live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada, as well as NBCSN and NHL Network in the United States.

NHL general managers will receive the details of the proposed format on a 3 p.m. ET conference call with the league, reports TSN's Bob McKenzie, who added that Bettman is expected to address the details of the draft and draft lottery.

Last week, the NHLPA authorized further negotiations regarding the 24-team playoff plan, while noting that several key issues still needed to be discussed.

Among those matters were reportedly whether the postseason would reseed or use a bracketed structure following the play-in round, and whether the Round of 16 would be comprised of best-of-five or best-of-seven series.

The NHL and NHLPA detailed their plans to reopen facilities in a memo to teams and players Monday, saying they're targeting early June for a transition to Phase 2 of the return-to-play process.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk, who represents the club on the NHLPA's executive committee said over the weekend that while the league was expected to formalize the return-to-play plan, "that does not mean hockey's back" and "we still have a long way to go."