Canadian health authorities from the five provinces home to NHL teams sent a letter to the league Wednesday outlining additional requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are needed for the seven Canadian clubs to remain north of the border this season.
The league needs approval from Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia. Alberta Health chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw presented the NHL with two options.
The first called for a "regular testing schedule for players, staff, coaches and close contacts, with close household contact testing required if players are living at home between travel episodes," Hinshaw wrote, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.
The league's current protocol calls for only team members to be tested daily during training camp and the first four weeks of the regular season. Family members are only tested upon request and will be at the players' expense.
Additionally, provincial health authorities may ask the NHL to adjust the schedule released Wednesday to limit provincial travel early in the season.
The second option calls for the league to reimplement a bubble model for the Canadian teams for at least the beginning of the season. Authorities said they would support a bubble for four-to-six weeks and then a modified bubble, but a full bubble model would be preferred.
If a bubble is not possible, the league may be forced to put the season on hold.
"Should any iteration of the bubble model not be achievable for the NHL, we would recommend that the start of the season be delayed for a few weeks to allow for disease rates to drop and our health systems to recover," Dr. Hinshaw wrote.
The NHL is expected to respond to Dr. Hinshaw's letter on Thursday. The shortened 56-game season is set to begin Jan. 13.
Cirelli will remain a restricted free agent when his deal expires after the 2022-23 campaign.
The 6-foot pivot recorded 16 goals and career highs in assists (28) and points (44) through 68 games in 2019-20. Cirelli added three goals and nine points in 25 playoff games during the Lightning's Stanley Cup run.
The 23-year-old has quickly established himself as one of the top two-way forwards in the league and his play took a massive leap last season.
Cirelli finished fourth in Selke Trophy voting after driving play at both ends of the ice at five-on-five, according to HockeyViz's isolated impact. (Red/positive is good in the offensive zone, while blue/negative is good in the defensive zone).
Tampa Bay has been facing a serious cap crunch all offseason and placed Nikita Kucherov's $9.5-million cap hit on long-term injured reserve after word that the star winger will miss the 2020-21 campaign following hip surgery.
The Lightning have no outstanding restricted free agents but are still slightly above the salary cap even with Kucherov's contract temporarily off the books.
Team Canada captain Kirby Dach is out for the remainder of the world juniors after suffering an injury during an exhibition game against Russia on Wednesday, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Canada's captain, Kirby Dach, left the ice and went straight to the dressing room after this play. pic.twitter.com/ZEzfG66aad
Doctors are still assessing Dach's injury, but the Chicago Blackhawks forward apparently won't be ready for the start of the NHL season Jan. 13.
The 19-year-old did not represent Canada at the event in 2019 after cracking the Blackhawks' roster last October. He was available this year because of the delayed start to the NHL campaign.
Dach tallied eight goals and 23 points over 64 games during his rookie season for Chicago in 2019-20. He added a goal and six points through nine playoff contests.
In the lead-up to the 2021 World Junior Championship, we're taking a look back at each of the 18 Canadian teams to capture the gold medal, culminating Dec. 25 with the start of the latest edition of the tournament.
The 2008 world juniors were held in the Czech Republic, with Canada looking to claim its fourth consecutive gold medal and 14th overall at the event.
A group of players who have now developed into household NHL names led a 2008 roster that was absolutely stacked and destined to finish atop a competitive field.
The roster
Player
Position
Age
Kyle Turris
F
18
Brad Marchand*
F
19
Claude Giroux
F
19
Steven Stamkos
F
17
John Tavares
F
17
Matt Halischuk
F
19
Shawn Matthias
F
19
Stefan Legein
F
19
Colton Gillies
F
18
Brandon Sutter
F
18
Wayne Simmonds
F
19
Zach Boychuk
F
18
Riley Holzapfel
F
19
Drew Doughty
D
18
Karl Alzner*
D
19
Logan Pyett
D
19
Thomas Hickey
D
18
Luke Schenn
D
18
P.K. Subban
D
18
Josh Godfrey
D
19
Steve Mason
G
19
Jonathan Bernier
G
19
*Denotes returning player All ages are as of the start of the tournament
The tournament
SAMUEL KUBANI / AFP / Getty
Canada came out flying, opening the tournament with back-to-back shutout victories over the host Czech Republic team and Slovakia. A 4-3 loss to Sweden, however, cost the Canadians the top spot in Group A and an automatic trip to the semifinals. Mason would take the reigns in goal for the remainder of the tournament, with Canada needing to advance past three tough nations en route to a gold medal.
The Red and White clashed with Finland in the quarterfinals. With the contest squared midway through the third period, Marchand delivered the game-winning goal. Mason then shined in the semis, making 33 stops as Canada knocked off the United States 4-1 to set up a rematch with Sweden in the gold-medal game.
After Marchand and Giroux put Canada ahead 2-0, the Swedes struck twice in the third, tying the game with just 38 seconds remaining to set up Halischuk's overtime heroics.
The stars
SAMUEL KUBANI / AFP / Getty
A dominant top line of Marchand - the sole returnee among the forwards - Giroux, and Turris led Canada. The trio combined for 10 goals and 20 points over seven matchups while finding the twine in every game except the tournament opener.
The team also featured a pair of 17-year-old phenoms in Tavares and Stamkos. Tavares, who was still 18 months away from being drafted first overall, co-led the squad with four goals, while a baby-faced Stamkos contributed six points.
Defensively, Canada may have been even more impressive. Future Norris Trophy winners Doughty and Subban anchored a blue line that also included soon-to-be lottery pick Schenn. Godfrey, who was never able to crack an NHL lineup, led Canadian rearguards in scoring with five assists, but Doughty was named the best defenseman of the tournament after his dominant play all over the ice.
In goal, Mason produced one of the most inspiring performances in Canadian world junior history, authoring a 5-0 record with a 1.19 goals-against average and .951 save percentage. The Ontario native joined Marc-Andre Fleury and Carey Price as the only Canadian netminders to earn both tournament MVP and best goalie honors.
The key moment
SAMUEL KUBANI / AFP / Getty
Aside from the loss to Sweden, Canada faced little adversity throughout the tournament until the gold-medal finale. In that contest, the team blew a late lead and needed to regroup before overtime.
The Canadians didn't lose focus, and what started as a harmless play turned into one of the most memorable highlights in world junior history. Outnumbered in the offensive zone, Matthias bullied his way from the corner to the front of the net before Halischuk deposited the loose puck to clinch gold for Canada just 3:36 into the extra frame.
Halischuk became only the second player to clinch gold for his country in overtime since the tournament adopted the playoff format in 1996. Four players have done it since, with Kasperi Kapanen's golden goal for Finland in 2016 the latest.
The fallout
Andre Ringuette / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Stamkos and Doughty were selected No. 1 and 2, respectively, at the NHL draft just five months later. The pair have now combined to win three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals, two World Cups, a Norris Trophy (Doughty), and two Rocket Richard trophies (Stamkos).
Schenn was selected with the fifth pick in the 2008 draft, and Boychuk went 14th. Giroux and Marchand, who were each selected in 2006, went on to become two of the league's most elite talents while dominating the following decade. Giroux ranked fourth in points (788) through the 2010s, while Marchand finished 19th in points (646) and 10th in goals. He also captured the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins during his rookie campaign in 2011.
Some players from the team - including Legein, Holzapfel, Pyett, and Godfrey - never made it to the NHL.
Hickey, Subban, Boychuk, and Tavares returned to Team Canada in 2009 to help the nation capture its fifth consecutive gold medal. Canada then hit a five-year title drought, failing to win any medal in two of the tournaments during that stretch.
The potential deal remains contingent on a vote from each side. The league plans to hold a board of governor's meeting at some point this weekend, while the NHLPA executive board will hold a call Friday night, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
Besides the recently pandemic-shortened season, the last time the league played a campaign fewer than 82 games was the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season when a 48-game slate was used.
The 25-year-old became an unrestricted free agent in October after the Ottawa Senators declined to give him a qualifying offer.
"Anthony is a dynamic and highly skilled player who is capable of being a dependable offensive contributor for our team" Panthers general manager BIll Zito said. "He possesses tremendous speed and goal scoring ability and earned an opportunity to be named an NHL All-Star last season. We're excited to welcome Anthony and look forward to what he can add to our team."
Duclair notched a career-high 23 goals while adding 17 assists through 66 games with the Senators in 2019-20.
In the lead-up to the 2021 World Junior Championship, we're taking a look back at each of the 18 Canadian teams to capture the gold medal, culminating Dec. 25 with the start of the latest edition of the tournament.
The 20th world juniors was held in Massachusetts. Canada entered the 1996 event looking for its fourth consecutive gold medal and ninth overall to tie Russia/ the Soviet Union, which held both records.
The tournament marked the first time teams were split into two groups and a knockout stage to determine each medalist followed round-robin play.
The roster
Player
Position
Age
Jarome Iginla
F
18
Christian Dube
F
18
Daymond Langkow
F
19
Hnat Domenichelli
F
19
Alyn McCauley
F
18
Jason Podollan
F
19
Jason Botterill*
F
19
Robb Gordon
F
19
Mike Watt
F
19
Jamie Wright
F
19
Brad Larsen
F
18
Curtis Brown
F
19
Craig Mills
F
19
Jason Holland
D
19
Nolan Baumgartner*
D
19
Denis Gauthier
D
19
Wade Redden*
D
18
Chad Allen*
D
19
Chris Phillips
D
17
Rhett Warrener
D
19
Jose Theodore
G
19
Marc Denis
G
18
*Denotes returning player All ages are as of the start of the tournament
The tournament
S Levy / Bruce Bennett / Getty
Canada faced little adversity while absolutely dominating. The team kicked things off with a 6-1 drubbing of the United States before beating Switzerland, Finland, and Ukraine to finish a perfect 4-0 in round-robin play with a 19-4 goal differential. Canada advanced directly to the semifinals following its superior play.
With Russia carrying momentum after a 6-2 win over Finland in the quarterfinals, Canada faced a tough task. The team needed a hero while struggling to find its game, and Theodore was up to the challenge. The Quebec native bailed out his country with an incredible 43-save performance against a high-powered Russian squad, allowing the Canadians to squeeze out the 4-3 victory.
The final test for Canada came against Sweden, and the contest was never in question. Canada took an early 1-0 lead and never looked back during a convincing 4-1 victory to claim the gold medal.
The Canadians allowed just eight goals over six games, setting a tournament record at the time. The team's grit made up for its lack of firepower.
The stars
S Levy / Bruce Bennett / Getty
Canada's roster wasn't full of stars, but it featured some obvious standout talents.
Iginla was dominant from a young age, as the Alberta native was named the best forward of the tournament after leading the event in goals (five) and points (12) over six games. Langkow, Iginla's future teammate with the Calgary Flames, finished tied for second in team scoring with Dube. Three of Lankgow's six points - including two goals - came in the gold-medal game.
Baumgartner led one of Canada's most stifling blue lines ever. The 6-foot-1 rearguard was named to the tournament's All-Star team, along with Iginla and Theodore, after tallying one goal and an assist. Future NHL fixtures Redden and Phillips were the only defensemen under 19, but the youngsters made a strong impression.
In the crease, Theodore was simply outstanding. The future Hart Trophy winner posted a perfect 4-0 record while leading all netminders in save percentage (.960) and goals-against average (1.50) to earn best goalie of the tournament honors.
The key moment
S Levy / Bruce Bennett / Getty
It's only fitting that Canada's key moment came from Iginla. The team's tournament would have ended early if not for Theodore's brilliance and Iginla's clutch strike against Russia in the semis.
The game reached a pivotal point with the Canadians up 3-2 in the third period, and Russia's power play was getting another opportunity after scoring earlier. However, rather than netting the equalizer, Russia saw its deficit double when Iginla picked off a pass before breaking in for the shorthanded marker.
Russia would trim the lead back to one minutes later, but Iginla's goal held up as the winner in the 4-3 victory to push Canada through.
The fallout
Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Only a handful of players off the 1996 roster went on to produce lengthy NHL careers, with one talent ascending high above the rest.
Iginla now sits 34th in all-time scoring after amassing 1,300 points and 625 goals over his storied career. He also captured a pair of Rocket Richard trophies, one Art Ross Trophy, and one Lester B. Pearson Trophy (now the Ted Lindsay Award). The longtime Flames captain is the only player from Canada's 1996 world junior squad to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (2020).
Langkow skated in 1,090 NHL games while racking up 672 points. The only other players from the team to record 100-plus career points were Domenichelli, McCauley, Brown, Redden, Warrener, and Phillips.
No players off Canada's '96 roster went on to win a Stanley Cup. Iginla, Langkow, Denis, and Warrener came close with the Flames in 2004, losing in the final to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.
Canada, meanwhile, went on to clinch a fifth straight gold medal at the 1997 world juniors before failing to medal in 1998 for the first time in six years. That forgettable performance was the start of an eight-year podium drought.
"What a year!" Lindblom's girlfriend, Alma, posted Tuesday on Instagram. "369 days ago we found out that Oskar had cancer, and today we got to know that the scans are clear after his second checkup."
Lindblom, 24, was leading the Flyers with 11 goals through 30 games before leaving the team after receiving the diagnosis last December.
The Swedish winger finished his treatments at Penn Medical Center on July 2 and was able to suit up for the Flyers in the postseason.
Lindblom averaged 17:06 of ice time over two games during the club's second-round series against the New York Islanders in September. He credited the support of his teammates for giving him the strength to return.
"It's been everything," he said, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "They talked to me like I'm still with the team even if I'm not there. Those tough weeks, when I felt so bad and trying to think about life and they'd call me, text me, help me get more energy. It helped me through the whole process."
The 6-foot-1 forward was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The Flyers gave him a three-year, $9-million contract in July, just weeks after the end of his treatment.
The Western Hockey League pushed back its targeted Jan. 8 start date due to public health restrictions that remain in place across Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest U.S.
"We continue to make every effort to get our season started, but our first priority has always been the health and safety of our players, and everyone associated with the WHL," commissioner Ron Robison said in a statement.
"Given the public health restrictions that are currently in effect, we are not in a position to determine a new target date for our season. We will continue to consult with health authorities to determine when it is safe and responsible to get our season started."
The board of governors will meet in January to discuss a new target start date, and the league will continue to work with government and health authorities to establish a plan for the 2020-21 season.
The WHL, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and the Ontario Hockey League - which all fall under the Canadian Hockey League umbrella - ended their 2019-20 seasons early due to the pandemic and didn't hold playoffs.
Of the three, only the QMJHL began its 2020-21 season. However, the league suspended play in November and aims to resume on Jan. 3.
Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer is well aware of the level of competition his club may have to face next season should the NHL's reported realignment plan remain as is.
The Golden Knights, who finished atop the Pacific Division in 2019-20, are slated to be in a group featuring the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars. Those three clubs sat first, second, and third respectively in the Central before the season was paused.
“That’s the group of death, to use a soccer term,” DeBoer said Tuesday, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.
Vegas is somewhat familiar with the three Central Division giants. DeBoer's club knocked off each team in last summer's round robin to determine the top four seeds in the Western Conference playoffs. The Golden Knights were eventually eliminated in five games by the Stars in the conference finals.
Despite DeBoer's declaration, the division's other half would feature the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and Arizona Coyotes. Each of those clubs finished in the bottom 10 of the NHL last season for points percentage.
Though the reported divisions aren't official, the NHL will be realigning teams to mitigate travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
