2020 NHL playoffs: Key dates, coronavirus testing protocols, more on return to play

As more and more players make their way back to the team’s practice facility in Voorhees, New Jersey, for voluntary workouts, the Flyers now have a timeframe for when they’ll be together in full and aiming for a Stanley Cup run in the NHL’s return-to-play 24-team tournament.

The NHL and NHLPA have reached a tentative agreement on the return-to-play plan and memorandum of understanding, the league announced Monday night. The agreement adds an additional four years to the term of the current collective bargaining agreement and includes transition rules as well as a new critical dates calendar.

In the NHL’s statement:

The tentative agreement is now subject to approval by the NHL’s board of governors, as well as the NHLPA’s executive board followed by the full NHLPA membership. The respective review and approval processes will take place over the next few days and there will be no further comment until those processes are completed.

Here are key dates for the return-to-play plan:

July 13 – Start of formal training camps
July 26 – Clubs travel to hub cities
Aug. 1 – Start of the qualifying round (includes the round robin)

For training camp at Flyers Skate Zone, the club will be allowed no more than 30 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies. During the tournament, the Flyers will be allowed a roster of no more than 31 players (here’s a look at our top five reserves and Game 1 lineup predictions for the Flyers).

The Flyers, along with the other clubs, will play exhibition games before the qualifying round (here’s the Flyers’ outlook in the round robin). The hub cities have yet to be announced but according to multiple reports, the NHL has targeted Toronto (Eastern Conference) and Edmonton, Alberta (Western Conference) for the 24-team tournament. The Eastern Conference Final, Western Conference Final and Stanley Cup Final will all be held at the same site (which is TBD).

Here are the detailed protocols with testing information for Phase 3 (training camp) and Phase 4 (resume play).

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