After hitting the pause button on the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHL will restart the season on Aug. 1. The 24 participating teams will play in Toronto and Edmonton for the Stanley Cup Qualifier round. The Qualifier round will feature seeds No. 5 vs. No. 12, No. 7 vs. No. 10 and No. 8 vs. No. 9 from each conference. The winners of the qualifying round will advance to the playoffs, where it will be the usual best-of-seven in each round. While the qualifier games are played, the top four seeds in each conference will play a round robin to determine the top four seeds for the first round of the playoffs. Here are a few NHL podcasts to get you ready for the tournament.

Hockey Central

Produced by Sportsnet, hosts Jeff Marek, David Amber, Anthony Stewart and Justin Bourne break down all the stories from around the NHL. The show runs five days a week and features former players and executives talking about the latest news. Recent episodes include "Sunday Night At Vic Village Had More Of An Atmosphere To Be Honest," "I’m Excited To See IF Elliotte Shaved His Beard" and "You Enjoyed Him, You Enjoyed His Energy."

Find it: https://podcast.sportsnet.ca

The Full 60

Longtime hockey journalist and NHL insider Craig Custance takes a deep dive into the league with weekly conversations with the game’s most intriguing voices. He tries to cover hockey topics from a unique angle. Recent episodes include "The Athletic’s 24 Team NHL Play-In Preview: Part One," "Every Step of the Way" and "The Norris Trophy Ballot Show."

Find it: https://theathletic.com/podcast/22-the-full-60/

ESPN On Ice

Hosted by hockey journalists Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski keep fans updated weekly on the NHL. Kaplan and Wyshynski cover hockey culture with the biggest names in the game and ESPN’s stable of experts. Recent episodes include "Barry Melrose, NHL Playoff Preview," "Chris Pronger, Ryan Strome" and "John Hynes, Bob Stauffer."

Find it: http://www.espn.com/espnradio/podcast/archive/_/id/2666118

Puck Soup

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, The Athletic’s Sean "Down Goes Brown" McIndoe and Yahoo Sports’ Ryan Lambert get into hockey, both on the ice and about fan culture. Puck Soup also features the group’s takes on movies, TV, fast food and life lessons. Recent episodes include "Slaying The Kraken," "Unfit To Podcast" and "Ruff Landing."

Find it: https://pucksoup.libsyn.com/