Exactly three months from the last 2019-20 NHL game, the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association have announced that Phase 3 of its return to play protocol, formal training camps, will begin on July 10 for the 24 playoff-bound teams at two hub cities.
The date is contingent on conditions pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic at that time.
Details regarding Phase 4, when and where the season will resume, have yet to be announced and will continue to be negotiated between the league and its players.
Training camps are expected to run for three weeks and begin in each teams’ local city. Once hub cities are announced, the teams will eventually transition to their hub location and play two exhibition games before beginning the play-in and round-robin games. A 21-day camp and pre-season sets the NHL up for a July 31 resumption date — one day after the NBA is expected to resume.
The NHL began its Phase 2 of its protocol, informal small-group training, on Monday. While many teams have taken advantage of reopening its facilities to local players, the Avalanche are among the teams that have yet to begin this phase.
The league continues to encourage players to skate wherever they are located and Nikita Zadorov has taken advantage of his situation. The Russian-born defenseman is participating in large group skates in Miami alongside numerous countrymen such as current NHL players Alexander Ovechkin, Igor Shesterkin, Evgeni Dadonov as well as former Av and retired defenseman Darius Kasparaitis.
Other Avs, such as Ian Cole and Philipp Grubauer remain in Denver and will likely participate in small-group training if or when the team decides to open its facilities to players.