Our weird year has led to weird circumstances in the sporting world. Many major events that don’t happen on a seasonal basis (like the Summer Olympics) have been cancelled or postponed, while those seasonal sports were delayed and/or truncated. In North America, the three major sports leagues that would have been playing from March on, the NHL, NBA, and MLB, have had to adapt their schedules, but right now it looks like those three leagues are on track to get back to work in the next few weeks.

Well, this is weird. We’re going to be talking about meaningful NHL games being played in August. Not the Olympics. Not the World Cup. Not the World Championships. Actual NHL playoff hockey.

In an alternate, normal universe, April 10, 2020 would have marked the third day of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the Pittsburgh Penguins would be a game or two into their first round series against whoever. Instead, we are in the universe where COVID-19 has forced the “pause” of the 2019-20 NHL season and, as it stands today, we are no closer to knowing if or when the season will resume.