Habs should hear soon on OK for training camp in Brossard

The Canadiens are close to reaching an agreement with public health officials that would allow them to hold a training camp at their practice facility in Brossard.

Alain Crete of RDS tweeted Thursday that the Canadiens had received the green light from the government, but Paul Wilson, the Canadiens' vice-president responsible for public relations, said the report was premature.

Wilson said that negotiations, which involve Dr. Richard Massé, a senior adviser to the provincial government on public health, and Canadiens team physician David Mulder, are progressing.

Wilson said the team was encouraged by what he described as Premier François Legault's “enthusiastic” support for a return NHL action in mid-january. During his daily news briefing on Wednesday, Legault said he thought the Canadiens could create a bubble in Brossard. He also said visiting teams could be contained in a similar bubble in hotels near the Bell Centre.

“There are a number of stakeholders involved — Health Canada, Santé Québec, local municipalities — and we'll wait for them to make an announcement,” Wilson said.

The Canadiens are also waiting for an agreement between the NHL and NHL Players' Association on a start date for training camps and the season, the length of the season and adjustments to financial compensation for the players.

There are only four Canadiens players in Quebec. Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron live in Montreal year-round, while Phil Danault is near Quebec City. Rookie defenceman Alexander Romanov is in the final days of quarantine in Montreal after arriving from Russia.

Goaltender Carey Price's wife, Angela, recently posted on social media that the family will be pulling up stakes in Washington state and take a private flight to Montreal on Boxing Day.