NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the lottery is scheduled for June 26. Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Report: NHL Draft Lottery set for June 26

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 5/25/20

Those aware that there can be no NHL Draft Lottery until the final team places in the standings are determined may have received some good news on Monday when Renaud Lavoie of Quebec's TVA Sports tweeted that the lottery is scheduled for June 26, but also that there remains no date for this year's draft:

Hearing June 26 is the date that we should have the NHL Lottery Draft. No dates on the NHL Draft yet.
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) May 25, 2020

As Brayton Wilson of Buffalo sports radio station WGR 550 AM wrote, the draft was originally scheduled to occur on June 26 in Montreal, but it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In late April, the NFL held a virtual draft that included players, team personnel, and league executives appearing from their homes to avoid large gatherings and so all involved could follow social-distancing guidelines. It's expected the NHL and NBA will host similar events for player-selection processes later this year.

Also on Monday, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported the NHL hopes to open club facilities to players in early June. Over the weekend, the NHL Players' Association announced its support of the much-publicized 24-team proposal to crown a Stanley Cup champion.

The NHLPA and league owners must agree to terms for an altered postseason tournament.

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