The Carolina Hurricanes are finally practicing again at PNC Arena, await NHL’s restart
Hockey returned to PNC Arena on Tuesday as the Carolina Hurricanes started voluntary training sessions with a group of 16 players in accordance with NHL and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services protocols.
The NHL transitioned to Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan June 8, allowing players to participate in voluntary, small-group training sessions at their club’s home training facilities. Workouts are limited to six players per group both on- and off-ice, and are closed to the public and media.
At the time of the transition, Hurricanes team officials and players agreed to continue training individually. Friday, the team announced its intention to reopen PNC and begin group training.
“It was a lot of fun to see faces again, some of the fellas,” Canes captain Jordan Staal said in a Zoom call Tuesday. “Still different, but exciting that we’re moving forward and taking steps to get back on the ice.”
Prior to Tuesday’s session, players were asked to fill out a form to assess if they had any COVID-19 symptoms. Upon arrival, players and staff underwent temperature checks and wore masks as well as practiced social distancing. Staal noted that while the latter can be tricky in hockey, most of the team’s drills focused on getting players moving again and taking shots on the goalies.
The Canes last played March 10 on the road against the Detroit Red Wings. On March 12, the NHL suspended play, eventually canceling all regular-season games.
Players used to having their summers off and starting a new season in September are adjusting to the different schedule. Staal said for most players, the priority has been keeping their bodies in as best shape as possible during quarantine. When play returns, team’s rosters will be deeper with players who had extra time to recover from injuries and new trade acquisitions.
“There’s lots of options,” Staal said. “That’s gonna put even more pressure on the players to perform. If guys aren’t going, I’m sure they’ll move to other guys because we have that depth. That’s what good teams have and to make a good playoff run you gotta have that.
“We’re gonna have some fresh legs and healthy bodies. The hockey could be really exciting, who knows, because it could be a lot of mistakes and stuff like that — hopefully that’s not gonna be our team.”
The league’s tentative start date for Phase 3 is July 10, marking the beginning of formal training camp for the 24 teams participating in the return to play plan. Teams will be divided between two “hub” cities where they will play best-of-five qualifying rounds. A 16-team Stanley Cup Playoff will follow with best-of-seven series and a 2020 champion will be crowned.
Hub cities have not yet been announced, but the league has reportedly narrowed its options to four locations.
There is no official start date for Phase 4, the return to play, as it will depend on how smoothly Phases 2 and 3 go and negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA. However, matchups for the qualifying round have been released, with the Hurricanes set to face the New York Rangers.
“If this kind of pushes through and we can pull this off, it’s gonna be different, it’s gonna be weird, but there’s a lot of other people in the world that are feeling the same thing in different scenarios,” Staal said. “We’re hoping to get this thing going and play some hockey and get some normalcy back.”
Staal also said that if another league, such as the NBA, “doesn’t go” it will be harder for the NHL to return as well.
“We’ve seen some crazy things with this virus and how quickly it can spread, and anything could happen,” Staal said.
A number of professional athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 as leagues attempt to resume play. The Orlando Pride was forced to withdraw from the NWSL Challenge Cup after multiple players and staff members tested positive. NBA players from the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets have decided not to participate in the league’s return due to positive test results.