FTB: Pinning down the date to restart hockey

Welcome to May. Yes, really. The passage of time is somehow both fast and slow right now. April is officially over.

The question we’re asking is are we now a month closer to the NHL restarting the 2019-20 season? The League and the NHLPA are doing everything they can to finally get a concrete plan with a date to make that happen.

Can report that the NHL has provided potential hub cities with a lengthy document of criteria that must be met to host games. The Organizations will work closely with the NHL and the regional health authority to meet them. Govt will have it's own list at some point as well.

— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) April 30, 2020

This comes a few days after the Return to Play Committee met, headed by the Maple Leafs own John Tavares, to set a framework for reopening. The details are everything, and they are long, and, really, not that interesting, though I’m sure we will get breathless reporting on them when they arrive. Someone at some point will write 1,000 words about what the players are offered for breakfast. But, until the games start, there isn’t much hockey news to talk about.

Oh, wait. There is some hockey news to talk about.

Hockey News

The signing of overseas free agents for next season is picking up.

Sharks to sign goaltender Alexei Melnichuk - Fear The Fin
With their (lack of) goaltending depth exposed this season, the Sharks are in need of a quick fix in net.

Avalanche sign goalie prospect Justus Annunen - Mile High Hockey
Finland’s World Juniors goaltender signs with the Avalanche.

Flyers sign Linus Sandin to ELC - Broad Street Hockey
The Philadelphia Flyers made it official and signed Rasmus Sandin’s brother to a contract.

Artyom Zub has a 1 year entry level contract from the Ottawa Senators ready to sign. No delays expected, so Zub signing should be announced in the near future.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) April 30, 2020

Hurricanes-Checkers split a blow to Carolina hockey - Canes Country
Things get interesting between the Canes and the Checkers.

Demolition and digging done, KeyArena readies for walls to be built - The Seattle Times
After more than a year of demolition and digging down, KeyArena will finally start building back up next week when the first wall begins to be erected.

Seravalli: Return to play would be a brave new world for NHL broadcasts - TSN
Ray Ferraro: A lot of fans tell me they want more access to what’s said, but it’s like Jack Nicholson on the stand in A Few Good Men when he says, ‘You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!’

Happy Friday!