On Sunday, the NHL and NHL Players’ Association agreed on protocols to resume the season. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the sides are still negotiating an extension of the collective bargaining agreement. A CBA extension is crucial to the process, and the league’s board of governors and players’ executive committee and full membership must still approve that and the return to play protocols to bring hockey back this summer.
If everything is ratified, it will end the shutdown that began in mid-March. Games would resume in late July or early August with 24 teams taking part in an expanded playoffs, finishing with the Stanley Cup being awarded in October. Teams are expected to open training camps July 13 before traveling to two “hub” cities for games.
Once play resumes, one player’s positive coronavirus test result is not expected to shut down play entirely. The league has said it would isolate any player or staff member who tests positive, acknowledging an outbreak would threaten the remainder of the season. The league will be in charge of testing players daily once they get to their game city.
