The NHL and NHLPA are saying there’s a chance.
It’s clearly still months away from happening - if it happens at all - but the league and the players union released a joint statement on Wednesday indicating that they may be moving on to “Phase 2” in the next month in their bid to get the season resumed and playoffs underway.
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Clearly, it would involve the numbers trending in the right direction across North America in the coronavirus outbreak and key states moving to different phases in the re-opening process outlined by the federal government, but NHL players may be able to return to their practice facilities in small groups in mid-to-late May.
That’s very optimistic news for an eventual resumption of the regular season and a Stanley Cup playoff tournament sometime over the summer. It’s clear the new few weeks are key for the future of the season given that the NHL and NHLPA both were non-committal about putting any official timelines in place at this point.
Here’s the statement from the league and the NHLPA:
“Despite numerous reports and speculation over the last several days, the NHL and the NHLPA have not made any decisions or set a timeline for possible return to play scenarios.
Given recent developments in some NHL Clubs’ local communities, we are now looking ahead to a Phase 2 of the transition period that would follow the currently recommended Phase 1 period of “self-quarantine” by Players and Hockey Staff.
Boston Bruins
The precise date of transition to Phase 2, during which Players might return to small group activities in NHL Club training facilities, remains undetermined.
There would still need to be a 2-3 week training camp following that return to practice facilities and then another three weeks to wrap up the NHL regular season before the Stanley Cup playoffs might possibly get going. In other words, a lot of things must go right for a long period of time for any of this to add up to the NHL completing the current 2019-20 season.
However, provided that conditions continue to trend favorably – and, subject to potential competitive concerns as between disparately situated markets – we believe we may be able to move to Phase 2 at some point in the mid-to-later portion of May. Specific guidelines governing Player and Hockey Staff activity would be provided at that time. In the meantime, we expect Players and Hockey Staff to continue to adhere to the recommended guidelines put in place when the season was paused on March 12.
The Return to Play Committee will continue to meet regularly.”
There are still many hurdles to overcome before the NHL would be back. Approval from state and federal government decision-makers would be at the top of the list. There’s also a very plausible scenario where NHL players will be playing in empty arenas and would need to stay in quarantine away from their families for months. To this point, NHL players have balked about the scenario as Torey Krug addressed on a Tuesday virtual town hall with Bruins season-ticket holders.
“We’re obviously very hopeful that we can return to play,” said Krug, who along with Brandon Carlo, serves as an NHLPA player rep for the Bruins. “Some of the potential resume-to-play options are on the table and if we’re able to do it then I just hope we’re able to do it in a very safe and logical way so that we don’t put anybody at risk.
“I think guys want to be with their families at this time, so it would be tough to tear guys away from their families. And things like that. There are so many hurdles to be jumped over in order for us to get running again. Who knows if it will happen? If it does, that would be awesome. We all want a chance to get back and play. If it doesn’t, then it means we’re all taking the steps to get back when we can all be safe and healthy, and then attacking it at a different time.”
It all means that it’s way too early in the process to get overly excited about the NHL coming back because there are way too many variables at play. But in true "Dumb and Dumber" fashion, the NHL and NHLPA are “sayin' there’s a chance.”
That’s enough to be optimistic about after six weeks of quarantine and social isolation has driven everybody a little crazy-bored at this point, while gravely serious death toll numbers still pile up across the United States.
It’s okay to be a little optimistic about the NHL, though, because a return of sports means a return to some kind of normalcy for all of us.