Some teams are optimistic that the NHL will allow teams to begin skating again in small groups by the end of this month while others are pessimistic regarding that manner.
Phase Two includes players skating in small groups with social distancing, “strict sanitizing” in place, and team staff working on training. A decision about this will be made in the next week or two, TSN’s Darren Dreger said.
The Hockey Hall of Fame class selection committee will meet from June 23-24 and the four nominees will get announced on June 24. They will get inducted into the hall on November 16, “but [it] obviously could get postponed,” The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun noted. If the 2020-21 NHL season begins in December as previously reported, the induction will get postponed until the week that the Toronto Maple Leafs host their annual “Hall of Fame” game. The league will hold off on making a final decision on that until the summer, LeBrun added.
The fact that the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks filed for bankruptcy earlier this week sent shockwaves across the league, Bob McKenzie said. The issues were more involved towards filing to the gas and oil industries and for the owner’s parent company than anything else.
If fans are banned to begin next season, junior hockey leagues could hold out, he added.
Colorado Hockey Now’s Adrian Dater reported on Tuesday that the Arizona Coyotes are the top favorite to host centralized games when the 2019-20 NHL season resumes. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced that major professional sports can resume playing in the state on Saturday.
By Harrison Brown
