Photo: CTV News
Despite the border between the United States and Canada’s closure to non-essential travel being extended through June 21, the NHL is still “hopeful” that it won’t “materially affect the resumption of play timelines we are currently contemplating,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said, according to Sportsnet.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly says he’s hopeful today’s Canada-U.S. border announcement “will not materially affect the resumption of play timelines we are currently contemplating.”
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 19, 2020
Whether the NHL would qualify for “essential travel” remains to be seen. They are willing to play into October and start next season as late as December.
The league is aiming for allowing teams to skate and work out again in small groups at some point in the next few weeks but more than a hundred European players are across the Atlantic Ocean and many more are quarantining at their homes across North America.
Travel restrictions could prevent getting players back to their home cities in hopes of having three-to-four week training camps. Those restrictions currently include a 14-day period of self-isolation for anyone returning to Canada from outside the nation.
The league and players association have been hard at work over the past few days figuring out a format to resume the season and reportedly made a lot of progress. They are working on a 24-team Stanley Cup Playoff tournament format with some regular-season games being played beforehand. The tournament could take place in two cities.
By Harrison Brown
