The NHL is discouraging players from conducting informal on-ice workouts, at least in the short term, as the league's shutdown because of coronavirus moves through its first full day.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, in a statement relayed via Ryan Rishaug of TSN, a Canadian sports network, also said that players do not necessarily have to remain in the cities where they are based if their family is located elsewhere.
Per direction from the league office, teams are not supposed to conduct practices or meetings until they are told otherwise.
Here is the full text of Daly's remarks:
"The general expectation is that players will remain in their club's home cities, absent unusual circumstances. Obviously, where a player is separated from his family because his club city residence is only temporary at this point, those players should be permitted to go home to their families in this initial phase of the pause.
"We envision there coming a time where we transition direction from 'stay at home' to opening club facilities to players to work out and to skate on a voluntary basis in small groups -- similar to what we generally see prior to the beginning of team training camps. At this point, I'm not in a position to say when that will be. We will see how the next week or so plays out.
"No mandatory testing (for the virus). If a player exhibits symptoms or becomes sick, he will be tested, as appropriate.
"We are recommending against informal skates during this initial period of the pause. Once we move into the next phase and (a) player is 'training' for resumption of play, his activities will be subject to the protections afforded in his (standard player contract)."
Daly also made it clear that no decision has been made on whether the league will attempt to salvage some or all of the regular-season games that are affected by the suspension of play. The Penguins have 13 of those remaining.
“Any decision we make on schedule will be done in conjunction with the (NHL Players' Association)," Daly said. "And the parties can agree to extend the terms of existing contracts by whatever period is necessary to accommodate the resumption of play determinations that are ultimately made.”