Phase 2 Notes
Craig Morgan: The Arizona Coyotes expect all their players to be town by today.
NHL.com: Alexander Ovechkin joined his Washington Capitals teammate for Phase 2 on Saturday. Ovechkin had been skating in Florida with some fellow Russians.
Todd Saelhof of the Calgary Sun: All Calgary Flames players should in town by now or early this week according to GM Brad Treliving. Some are already in quarantine, and all should be ready for Phase 3 on July 10th.
They’ve increased from six to 12 on the ice – one instructor and the 11 players.
“It’s a very safe environment with lots of testing going on,” Treliving said. “We’ve got an independent lab set up that the guys go through. I think that bubble’s only going to get tighter. And I think the testing and all the precautions are only going to get greater as we get into Phase 3 and Phase 4.
“But there’s always some questions. In some cases, we don’t know the answers — we’re still waiting for information. But I think our guys are comfortable — and I’m very comfortable — with the steps the league’s going to take. There’s been lots of effort that has gone into this.”
Flames extra skaters will include forwards Alan Quine, Buddy Robinson, Byron Froese, Glenn Gawdin, Matthew Phillips, Adam Ruzicka and Austin Czarnik, defenceman Alexander Yelesin and goaltenders Jon Gillies and Artyom Zagidulin.
Forward Ryan Lomberg is recovering from an ankle injury and could join the team. Defenseman Connor Mackey will be at camp but is not eligible to play in any games as his deal doesn’t kick in until next season.
It’s about the Cup and not the No. 1 pick
Dave McCarthy of NHL.com: Players thinking about winning the Stanley Cup and not about losing the play-in round and getting a chance at the No. 1 pick. Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno.
“That one doesn’t fly for me. We play to win the Stanley Cup regardless,” Foligno, a forward, told SiriusXM NHL Network Radio on Sunday. ” where management’s job comes into play; you want to make their job hard on them, and I don’t think any of us are looking to play for the first overall pick. Being in that position where my team is drafting first overall is not a position I ever want to be in during my career. If we’re coming back, we’re coming back to win.”
NHL.com: Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland on not focusing on the draft.
“I don’t think anybody’s thinking of the No. 1 selection now,” Holland told the Edmonton Sun. “The eight losers will readjust after that. I want our team to make some noise, go on a playoff run.”