NHL Rumors: Players Proposing Late July Return, August Postseason

With the NHL season currently paused, it seems some of the league’s players are quietly, and unofficially, plotting when they could return to the ice.

TSN’s Frank Seravalli wrote Tuesday that while NHL players know resuming play in May or early June appears overly optimistic, they’ve started to brainstorm on a timeline.

“So, this group of players has concocted an unofficial proposal: Let’s take a step back and chart out a return to the ice in late July,” Seravalli wrote. “It’s an idea that has pinged back and forth in text messages among a small subsection of some of the league’s players, where it has gained traction and support.”

Seravalli went on to say that with players not wanting to jump right into the postseason, there’s interest in opening training camps in early July prior to concluding the regular-season by the end of July. From there, playoff teams would take part in an August-September run at the Stanley Cup.

The NHL has asked players to self-quarantine while the season is paused. However, commissioner Gary Bettman is hopeful a Stanley Cup champion will be crowned this season.

More NHL: Sharks’ Joe Thornton Says He Still Has ‘Years To Go’ In Career