NHL players have "started flooding back into their playing cities in anticipation of a season that is expected to see training camps open early in the new year, particularly those coming from Europe," according to Chris Johnston of SPORTSNET. Players are "choosing to come back on their own." With the NHL and NHLPA "still in negotiations on protocols, critical dates and transition rules, there’s been no official edict given." The sides are "hoping to finalize a plan" for the '20-21 season in the "coming days that can be ratified by owners and players before the end of the week." In the meantime, some teams have "quietly encouraged players to get back and serve their quarantines as soon as possible." If everything "goes well, the industry will go from a crawl to a sprint in a matter of weeks -- with the possibility of training camps starting Jan. 3 and a 56-game season beginning on Jan. 13." There "isn’t believed to be anything likely to derail negotiations that have intensified over the last week after the financial aspect of the agreement was settled" (SPORTSNET.ca, 12/14).
GAME ON? In Toronto, Kevin McGran reports the 31-member NHLPA Exec Committee "could vote as early as Wednesday," followed by the BOG Thursday, on a "wide-ranging plan that includes how the schedule and cross-border trades will work." A source said, “I don’t think there are any issues that will stop this from getting done. It’s just a matter of how long it’s going to take. I don’t see any reason not to play a season" (TORONTO STAR, 12/15). NHL Network’s Elliotte Friedman said the fact that news has been quiet on the ongoing negotiations is a positive and sources have told him, "We’ve got more grinding away." Friedman: "The last week has been one long Zoom call. There's a lot of stuff that has to get done.” Some of those issues are the "most lawyered," including safety protocols, whether vaccination will be mandatory and the schedule. Reports of a vaccine being available are “uplifting,” but that "doesn't mean the next two months aren’t going to be tough." Friedman added the "possibility of hubs is part of this" (“NHL Tonight,” NHL Network, 12/14).
