Columbus is out as a potential hub city in the event the National Hockey League is successful in moving into Phase 4 of its Return to Play plan, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn., reportedly is no longer in the running either.
It’s believed that six cities — Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver in Canada and Las Vegas, Chicago and Los Angeles in the United States — remain in the mix to be named one of two hubs for Phase 4, which would include the playoffs and the Stanley Cup final.
No date officially has been set for the start of Phase 4, though July 30 is a possibility.
The NHL remains in line to start Phase 3, with the opening of training camps on July 10.
It’s possible that the hub cities — one to play host to 12 Eastern Conference clubs and the other to the 12 Western Conference clubs — could be announced by the end of this week.
Meanwhile, Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported that, starting Tuesday, the NHL has given the green light for on-ice sessions during Phase 2 to be expanded to 12 players from six players.
And NHL contracts that were to expire on June 30 reportedly are to be extended to Oct. 31.
DRAFT ON TAP
The NHL on Monday announced further specifics regarding Phase 1 of the 2020 draft lottery.
It’s going to be held on Friday at 8 p.m. at the NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, N.J.
The top three picks in the 2020 draft will be awarded via the lottery. The first draw will determine the team selecting first overall, the second lottery will determine the team that picks second and the third lottery will determine the team that picks third overall.
A total of 15 teams will be eligible for Phase 1 of the draft lottery, including the seven teams that already have not qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Those clubs will be ranked in inverse order of their points percentages at the time of the pause (March 12) in the regular season. Eight placeholders that represent the to-be-determined qualifying round teams that don’t advance to the playoffs will be included, maintaining previously established odds for the draft lottery.
The Detroit Red Wings have the best chance (18.5%) at winning the lottery, followed by the Ottawa Senators, who have odds of winning of 13.5% and 11.5% (the second being a pick involved in a trade with the San Jose Sharks). Next are the Los Angeles Kings (9.5%), the Anaheim Ducks (8.5%), the New Jersey Devils (7.5%) and the Buffalo Sabres (6.5%).
TARASENKO RETURNS
Among the players on the ice for the St. Louis Blues on Monday for the team’s first Phase 2 sessions was star forward Vladimir Tarasenko.
The voluntary participation marked Tarasenko’s return from a shoulder injury, which had kept him out of the lineup since Oct. 24.
“It’s nice to change something and finally be able to come to the rink,” Tarasenko told stlouisblues.com. “I was really close to coming back to playing when the season got delayed, so I got some extra time for recovery and practice to make (the shoulder) more strong. Everything is good.”
Tarasenko had 10 points in 10 games before he was hurt in a game against Los Angeles. Not long after, Tarasenko had surgery on his left shoulder.
“You start with the basics, do some exercises where you remember the feeling,” Tarasenko said. “I think it’s going to (come back) pretty quick. You work on the basics and move to a harder level. Hopefully when camp opens, everybody will be ready. And we’re going to play to win again.”
THORBURN DONE
Chris Thorburn has retired from the NHL after an 801-game career that culminated in the best way possible — lifting the Stanley Cup just over a year ago with the Blues.
Drafted 50th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2001, Thorburn, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets, recording 134 points and 968 penalty minutes.
“Thank you to everyone who supported me, believed in me, and influenced me throughout my hockey career,” Thorburn, 37, said in a statement released by the NHL Players’ Association.
“Finally get an opportunity to lift the Stanley Cup over my head, I could not have scripted a better way to go out. It was an unbelievable ride with a storybook ending.”
Thorburn is the answer to an Ontario Hockey League trivia question — he was the last remaining member of the North Bay Centennials, who moved to Saginaw and became the Spirit for the 2002-03 season, to play in the NHL. And Thorburn was the Cents’ last leading scorer, putting up 58 points in 67 games in 2001-02.
ICE CHIPS
Not unexpectedly, Smashfest, Dominic Moore’s annual summer ping-pong challenge in Toronto that brings together NHLers to raise money for the fight against rare cancers and concussions, has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic … New Jersey forward Nico Hischier is using the NHL pause in rather unique way, as he has enrolled in the Swiss Army for an 18-week military program that will end in August. “It was always in the back of my head,” Hischier, 21, said. “Last summer, I did something for the Army, but it was for one day. I knew this would be the year to do the 18 weeks. One reason I did it was I needed to stay in shape.”
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