CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The NHL initiated Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan on Monday, allowing teams to reopen their facilities to players for the first time since the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic paused the schedule in mid-March.
The move is in accordance with the local and state/provincial medical guidelines in each NHL city.
Under this phase, players can return to their NHL cities to voluntarily participate in small-group training involving no more than six players on the ice at a time. Players who live in cities other than their own team’s will also have access to those facilities. They will be regularly screened for COVID-19. Those with negative tests will undergo medicals before they resume skating.
Not every team, however, opened their practice arenas at the same time. Some, like the Montreal Canadiens, are waiting for new ice to be laid down. Others, like the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks, are making their facilities available only upon request.
Many players left their NHL cities when the schedule was paused and returned to their respective hometowns across North America and Europe. Most won't be returning to their team cities immediately due, in part, to travel, border and visa restrictions. Because the training is voluntary, many could prefer continuing their training at home.
This is a positive step toward the league’s plans to crown a Stanley Cup champion this year. Nevertheless, several issues must still be sorted out.
The league has yet to select the two hub cities to host each conference. Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver are among the 10 candidates, provided the Canadian government's border restrictions are relaxed for NHL players and employees.
Phase 3 of the return-to-play plan is tentatively scheduled for July 10. That will involve a three-week training camp to allow the players an opportunity to get back into suitable game shape.
Phase 4 will be a 24-team playoff tournament. It will consist of a round-robin for the top-four teams in each conference to determine their final seeding and a best-of-five qualifying round for the other 16 teams, followed by four best-of-seven playoff rounds. If all goes well, the tournament will begin in late July or early August.
Clubs eliminated from the qualifying round will be eligible for one of the eight placeholder spots in the draft lottery. The first round of draws is slated for June 26, with a second possible round if one of the placeholder clubs secures one of the top-three picks. That round would be held between the end of the qualifying round and the start of the opening playoff round. The draft itself will be staged following the Stanley Cup final.
Ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved in each phase is the top priority. All it takes is one outbreak among one team to derail the league’s plan.
Cynics suggest the logistics of pulling this off are too daunting. Perhaps they’re right, but the league and most of its players remain determined to try.
Lyle Richardson is a freelance writer with the Sporting News and runs the website Spector’s Hockey. His column will appear in The Guardian throughout the NHL hockey season.