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The NHL is hoping to send 24 teams to two hub cities when they restart their season in July. However, they face health and safety issues before any quarantine can happen. On Friday, TSN reporter Bob McKenzie learned the Tampa Bay Lightning had to temporarily close its training facility “because “multiple players and some staff have tested positive for Covid-19.”
McKenzie is reporting it is three players and two staff who tested positive, with remaining players and staff still being tested. The facility will re-open if there are no further positive tests.
The NHL is in phase two of its return to play, which allows for players to return to their home team facilities and begin preparations for a resumption of play. Phase 3 will be formal training camp, with the league announcing a July 10th start date.
Phase 4 will be the start of the qualifying round, at which point players will be housed in the two hub cities and quarantined. In the current phase, players are not quarantined, which opens the door for spreading the virus — particularly in a hot spot like Florida.