NHL, players agree to plan to return to play, renew CBA
Hockey became the latest sport to finalize a return during a global pandemic after NHL owners and players approved an agreement Friday to resume the season.
Games begin Aug. 1 in Toronto and Edmonton, Alberta, with coronavirus cases in the United States pushing the league into Canada for the summer and fall until the Stanley Cup is awarded in late September or early October.
Training camps open Monday across North America, also the deadline for players to opt out of participating with no penalty.
“I don’t think you’re going to see a lot of players saying I don’t want to go,” Minnesota forward Zach Parise said. “If one of my teammates says they don’t want to go, you respect their decision for whatever reason. We all want to keep our families safe.”
The return-to-play plan, tentatively approved earlier this week by the NHL and NHL Players Association, was ratified by the league’s board of governors and with majority approval from players after a three-day voting period, ending Friday. Along with it, the two sides also formally approved a four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement.
“This agreement is a meaningful step forward for the players and owners, and for our game, in a difficult and uncertain time,”
NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said. “We are pleased to be able to bring NHL hockey back to the fans.”
The NHL is back with an expanded 24team playoff format, but things will be much different from the norm: There will be no fans. There will be five or six games a day at the start — up to three at each site, which will be heavily cordoned off from the public.
The Penguins are scheduled to resume play on Aug. 1 in the qualifying round against the Montreal Canadiens. The bestof-five series continues with Game 2 Aug. 3 and Game 3 Aug. 5. Sidney Crosby could be celebrating his 33rd birthday Aug. 7 in Game 4 ... or maybe he’ll be celebrating a three-game sweep. A decisive Game 5 will be Aug. 8, if necessary. TV times and broadcast information will be released at a later date.
And for the first time in league history, there will be an unusual final four in Edmonton to settle a championship later than ever before with ramifications pushing back the start of next season to December or even as late as January.
Still, hockey is preparing to go on in a year that has upended life for millions, and sports along with it. Only twice since 1893 has the Cup not been awarded — in 1919, when the final couldn’t be completed because of the Spanish flu pandemic, and 2005 when there was a lockout.