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Colorado Avalanche: Return to Play Date Set, Return Uncertain

By Nadia Archuleta

DENVER, CO - MARCH 03: A detail photo of the puck on the ice as the Pittsburgh Penguins face the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on March 3, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. The Penguins defeated the Avalanche 5-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - MARCH 03: A detail photo of the puck on the ice as the Pittsburgh Penguins face the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on March 3, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. The Penguins defeated the Avalanche 5-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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The Colorado Avalanche are working out like they intent to return to play. Indeed, dates have been set — now it just comes to a vote.

The Colorado Avalanche are into the second week of their informal practices at Pepsi Center. About eight players, in different groupings, have been participating. The understanding is that players who returned to other cities are practicing on their own.

Meanwhile, Larry Brooks of New York Post has reported that the NHL has set the date for Phase 4 — July 30.

The NHL has a four-phase response to the COVID-19 crisis. Phase 1 was to put the season on pause. Phase 2 is currently taking place — the informal practices. Phase 3 is training camp with Phase 4 being the actual resumption of play.

Training camp is set to begin July 10. It will last two weeks. Clubs will travel to their hub city on July 23 or 24. They’ll play an exhibition game before starting the play-in and seeding tournaments. Teams can have 30 skaters and unlimited goalies for training camp.

Those are the plans. However, many of the details still need to be worked out. For one, the hub cities haven’t been named officially. Both Pierre LeBrun of TSN and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN have reported that at least one hub city will be in Canada — Vancouver and Edmonton are frontrunners ahead of Toronto. It’s thought Vegas will be a hub city.

The Phase 2 has already come with strict testing and sanitation. Phases 3 and 4 are supposed to be even more stringent.

A snag in all this is that more players and some staffers have tested positive for coronavirus. The affected players are on the Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs — it’s said Auston Matthews is the player there. However, the NHL has mandated that they will not identify which players have tested positive at any point.

According to ESPN, those positive tests and general safety concerns have made it so players are less enthusiastic about returning to play. Here’s what Wyshynski reported:

"“One veteran Eastern Conference player told ESPN he believes the NHLPA is ’50-50 on wanting to come back to play, because of the safety precautions, travel and logistics. Especially now with these cases rising, it seems more guys with families are skeptical’.”"

Here’s where I deviate from news for a moment — when does the NHL resume then? When there’s a vaccine? According to Healthline, it’s months out before there’s even approved COVID-19 treatments. “It could be even longer for a vaccine.”

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So, the players are just going to kick it for a year or more? I hope they have good investment strategies because my understanding is you don’t get paid if you don’t play. Sure, some of them are multi-millionaires, but what about the young guys on their entry-level contracts? Do they have to get jobs? What kind of hockey are we going to see at the other end of this?

Because there isn’t going to be a 2020-21 season — best-case scenario is a 2021 season. The NHL will not resume like normal in October. Or November. Or even December. We’ll be lucky if they resume in January.

Anyway, that’s for the NHLPA to figure out. The same ESPN article mentions that players want a full vote rather than vote by executive board. They need more information about testing and hub cities.

Truthfully, the vast majority of the players and even their families are the least at-risk group there is for complications due to COVID-19. The bigger threat is to arena workers and, frankly, coaching staff. You have to be an extraordinarily fit young man to play in the NHL. You don’t have to be any of that (except a man) to be on an NHL team’s coaching staff.

It’s said that coaches will be allowed to make their own decisions. Some who have co-morbidities can choose not to return. The NHL has said it will “help accommodate that coach” and that it won’t affect his job standing.

They’ll all likely wear masks, though.

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So, we have some dates and some details for when the Colorado Avalanche and 23 other teams might return to finish the 2019-20 season.

I hope they’re able to work it out.

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