NHL teams begin voluntary workouts as part of Phase 2

New York Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss and forwards Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin skated together at their practice rink in East Meadow, New York, on Monday.

“It was good. It was nice to just get back in there,” Bailey said. “It’s a familiar place for us. It’s nice to get back on the ice too; it’s obviously been a while. That’s where we’re comfortable out there, so it was nice to feel the puck. We didn’t go too crazy on Day One, but nonetheless, it was fun to get out there.

“… After three months, there’s a little bit of rust so you just get out there and get your legs underneath you and move the puck around a little bit, get some shots, just kind of go over the fundamental stuff. As we go, we’ll start ramping up the conditioning side of things. I’m sure we’ll do a little bit this week, but just keep progressing it the closer and closer we get to camp.”

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, forwards Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and Paul Stastny, and defensemen Nick Holden and Deryk Engelland skated at City National Arena.

Also on Monday, Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares skated with defenseman Jake Muzzin, forward Ilya Mikheyev and goalie Jack Campbell at Ford Performance Center. Another group of Maple Leafs, consisting of forwards Zach Hyman, Alexander Kerfoot and William Nylander, defensemen Travis Dermott and Morgan Rielly and goalies Ian Scott and Joseph Woll, skated at a different time.

“I’m feeling good to be back on the ice and back in the facility,” Hyman said. “That’s the biggest thing for Phase 2, it’s mentally refreshing to get a change of scenery. Working out in my condo with weights and a bike is one thing but to get in the facility and work out and skate with a few guys is really good from a mental standpoint.”

The Edmonton Oilers tweeted a photo of forwards Alex Chiasson and Tyler Benson, defensemen Kris Russell and Matt Benning, and goalie Stuart Skinner on the ice at Rogers Place.

The Philadelphia Flyers were also expected to open their facilities Monday. The Tampa Bay Lightning opened theirs Tuesday. The Pittsburgh Penguins have said they will have players on the ice Tuesday, and the Arizona Coyotes announced they will return Thursday.

“Today, I had that same feeling of my first (NHL) training camp, not knowing (what to expect),” Benning said. “I mean, obviously we had guidelines and that sort of thing, there are people there to help us through and make sure we’re doing the right things to stay safe and wearing masks and proper hygiene and that sort of thing. It was exciting to get back to the rink, but it was a different feeling. There are a lot of things we had to do in order to be safe and enjoy the facility.”

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told TSN last week that teams are allowed to decide when they want to open.

“Clubs are approaching it differently depending on their circumstances,” Daly said.

The Deputy Commissioner said he expected all 24 teams in the Return to Play Plan to open prior to the transition to Phase 3, the start of training camps, which will not occur before July 10.

“I have talked with the players and they will tell us when they think we should open,” St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “If they feel comfortable training as they are (currently), they should. When they want us to open, we will.”

A date for Phase 4, which would be the start of play in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers leading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, has not been determined.

The NHL season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus and facilities were closed. The NHL announced last week that teams would be permitted to reopen their training facilities to allow players to participate in individualized training activities (off-ice and on-ice). Players will be participating on a voluntary basis, and workouts will be limited to a maximum of six players at any time, plus a limited number of staff.

“Having access to the rink and the ice and being around teammates again is a big deal,” Lightning forward Blake Coleman said. “Talking to the guys, everybody is excited to get back out there. … I’m itching to get back. I’m sure a lot of guys are.”

All teams must adhere to the Phase 2 Protocol that was released by the NHL and NHL Players’ Association on May 25. The 21-page document is intended to provide players with a safe and controlled environment to resume their conditioning.

“Even if a player decides he doesn’t want to start skating Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, at least he knows he has the option, and there’s a comfortability with that,” Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said.