Washington Capitals center Lars Eller is one of 16 NHL players a part of the NHL’s Return to Play committee. The committee consists of representatives from the NHL and NHLPA that meet and try to agree on broader concepts about how the league should conduct its season during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun first reported the news on Twitter, Tuesday night.
The NHL Players’ Association is voting on a return-to-play plan Friday that would begin a process potentially allowing the NHL to restart the 2019-20 season. The NHLPA’s 31 player representatives are voting on the conference-based “play-in” proposal.
Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston was the first to report the news.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the NHL is continuing to move towards a 24-team playoff plan without fans that would allow the league to finish its suspended 2019-20 season.
The plan is somewhat different than the plan that was reported by TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie last week and circulating among players. This return-to-play scenario would not have a group stage and the playoffs would be determined by conference seeding.
The NHL’s Return To Play Committee met over the weekend and progress has been made on a return-to-play plan. The format would reportedly feature 24 teams competing in a playoff that would be hosted in different NHL cities across North America.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported the news.
The NHL confirmed the creation of the “Return to Play Committee” and threw cold water on John Scott’s tweet in a release to the public, Wednesday evening. The most noteworthy piece of news is that the NHL believes they may be able to return to some “small group activities in NHL training facilities” in mid to late May.
“The precise date of transition to Phase 2, during which Players might return to small group activities in NHL Club training facilities, remains undetermined,” the NHL wrote. “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.”
Larry Brooks of the New York Post is reporting that the NHL has formed a Return To Play Committee. The group, consisting of representatives from the NHL and NHLPA, is trying to agree on broader concepts of how the league would return from suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The news comes on the heels of a news leak that the NBA will reopen team practice facilities where local restrictions have been eased on Friday.
By Ian Oland 3 years ago
