For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) moved one step closer to getting back to action, as they announced on Thursday that training camps (Phase 3 of the Return to Play Plan) for the 24 teams involved into the Stanley Cup Playoffs will open Friday, July 10. That date was announced earlier this month as the earliest that the clubs would open camps, but that the league wanted to maintain some flexibility depending on how COVID-19 was trending. The two sides did not announce the length of training camp or when the start date for the formal resumption of play (Phase 4) will be, but there have been some indicators that camps would be 2 to 3 weeks, allowing for the beginning of the play-in round at the end of July or early August.
👀 The boys are back in town#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/E5RawZPpFt
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 11, 2020
"That's good news for us, for the data of July 10, that's kind of what we've been waiting for." Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said via Zoom on Thursday. "If you ask most players what was the hardest part of (the pause was) the uncertainty. For me personally, you just wait(ed) to hear word about when I make travel plans back to Toronto, because I always wanted to be here Phase 2. I think it's important that and a good opportunity to train with teammates and our staff to prepare for the playoffs." There continue to be questions about where the clubs will be heading, as the two hub cities are not expected to be revealed for some time. A report earlier this week that the U.S. and Canadian governments have agreed to extend the non-essential travel ban to July 31 looked to be a death blow to the chances of Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver being one destination, but TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported that a solution to the 14-day quarantine is on the way from the Canadian government. that should allow all 3 Canadian markets to remain viable options as hub cities, and for the six Canadian-based franchises to hold their training camps north of the border. "There might be a small advantage (if Toronto is a hub city) just because of the rink, but I think if we host I assume all the players will have to be in hotels anyway and the rules will apply to us. Rielly said. "I don't think that there'll be a huge advantage in terms of the geography of where it is, it's about being in the rink and I'm not sure if we'll have to play on the opposite bench (if we are the road team), it's hard to say." *******
Latest @OffThePostRadio Podcast with @AnthonyMingioni, @MikeInBuffalo, & @sportsology.
— 🎙🏒Off The Post Radio 🥅 🚨 (@OffThePostRadio) June 7, 2020
We discuss the nuts & bolts of Phase 2, which Hub Cities we see as most likely, how NHL roster size might be handled, Isles’ Ilya Sorokin dilemma, & much more.
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