Alright, let’s pump the breaks a little.
The NHL and NHLPA released a memo Wednesday regarding the league’s next steps toward resuming play. And while initial reports about the memo suggested the NHL could be inching closer to a return, the league has not “made any decisions or set a timeline for possible return to play scenarios.”
It’s not all bad news, however.
“Given recent developments in some NHL Clubs’ local communities, we are now looking ahead to a Phase 2 of the transition period that would follow the currently recommended Phase 1 period of ‘self-quarantine’ by Players and Hockey Staff,” the league said Wednesday.
“The precise date of transition to Phase 2, during which Players might return to small group activities in NHL Club training facilities, remains undetermined. 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. Specific guidelines governing Player and Hockey Staff activity would be provided at that time. In the meantime, we expect Players and Hockey Staff to continue to adhere to the recommended guidelines put in place when the season was paused on March 12.”
Either way, it has to be comforting for fans to know plans are at least somewhat in the works. And whenever sports come back, we’ll be here waiting.
