The veteran blue-liner, who's undergone three separate surgeries since he last played in December, will try to rejoin the Blackhawks' lineup if play continues this summer, a source told The Athletic's Scott Powers.
Seabrook, 35, underwent surgery on his right shoulder in December, his left hip in January, and his right hip in February. He was initially ruled out for the season, but the pause in play combined with his progress in rehab has apparently made Seabrook's return a possibility.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion hasn't been cleared for contact, but he has been skating and is on track to join the club for training camp, according to Powers. Camp is reportedly expected to open July 13.
Seabrook was limited to 32 games this season and contributed four points while averaging 18:09 of ice time per contest.
The players may have been exposed to the coronavirus at a bar in Clayton, Missouri, where several members of the team congregated over a week ago, according to Thomas. One player reportedly tested positive just days after that gathering.
It is not known whether those who tested positive were experiencing symptoms.
The team reportedly canceled practice on Friday and shuttered its training facility for the weekend due to the test results. The Blues are expected to practice Monday.
Fifteen of the 250 NHL players who reported to team facilities for Phase 2 tested positive for the virus as of Monday. An additional 11 players who did not report for voluntary workouts have also tested positive since June 8, when Phase 2 commenced.
Phase 3 of the NHL's return plan, which signifies the start of training camp, is slated to begin July 10. The NHL and the players' association are reportedly closing in on a new six-year collective bargaining agreement, as well as an agreement on the details of the league's return-to-play plan.
With Olympic participation reportedly included in the NHL and NHLPA's modified collective bargaining agreement, it's time for hockey fans to begin to think about what the tournament may look like.
Following a look at Team Canada, our series continues with Team USA and how the country shapes up for the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.
The Americans have finished in the top four - including a pair of silver medals - in three of the previous four Olympics involving NHL players. With a young and potent roster for 2022, Team USA has an incredible chance to capture gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.
Others in this series: Canada Sweden Finland Czech Republic - July 10 Russia - July 12
Team USA
Head coach: Mike Sullivan
Sullivan served as an assistant coach for Team USA at both the 2006 Olympics in Turin and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and deserves the opportunity to take the lead role behind the bench. The Massachusetts native has led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a pair of Stanley Cups since the last time NHL players were permitted at the Olympics in 2014, and has a ton of experience keeping a star-studded roster in order.
Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill will also be a strong candidate after receiving the job for the Americans at the 2019 world championships, but Sullivan's experience and winning pedigree makes him a tough option to overlook.
Forwards
Andre Ringuette / World Cup of Hockey / Getty
LW
C
RW
Matthew Tkachuk (24)
Auston Matthews (24)
Patrick Kane (33)
Johnny Gaudreau (28)
Jack Eichel (25)
Brock Boeser (25)
Kyle Connor (25)
Dylan Larkin (25)
Blake Wheeler (35)
Jake Guentzel (27)
J.T. Miller (28)
Alex DeBrincat (24)
(All ages as of February 2022)
Extras: Vincent Trocheck (28), Jack Hughes (20)
The Americans' loaded forward group has only two players with prior Olympic experience, which is a testament to the nation's recent wave of dynamic young talent. Finding the net shouldn't be a problem for Team USA, as the lineup boasts nine players who've recorded at least one 30-goal campaign, with five of them accomplishing that milestone before turning 22.
Reuniting U.S. NTDP teammates Matthews and Tkachuk on the top line alongside Kane is a scary proposition, and having a passing wizard like Gaudreau with a sniper like Boeser flank Eichel presents a second trio that will cause matchup headaches for most countries.
Yes, Wheeler will be 35, but his leadership is invaluable and the team would benefit from keeping a few veterans around. He's also a rare talent who's peaked in his 30s and has a ton of experience playing alongside Jets teammate Connor. Wheelers' advanced hockey savvy combined with Larkin's speed and Connor's elite scoring ability is an intriguing combination. Finally, the team's fourth line features a pair of recent 40-goal scorers and the versatile J.T. Miller, who can play up the middle and adds a needed element of grit.
It's hard to project how the long layoff between the NHL's shutdown in March and the start of the 2020-21 campaign will impact Jack Hughes' developmental arc. That said, he should have at least one more full season of pro hockey under his belt by the time the Olympics roll around, and we like his chances of earning a role on the team, even if it's as an extra.
As for the omissions, the talent on the wing presents a tough reality for aging players like T.J. Oshie, Max Pacioretty, and Phil Kessel. If management elects to keep a mix of older talent in the fold, one of these veterans could still get the call.
Just missed the cut: Clayton Keller, Chris Kreider, Brady Tkachuk, Pacioretty, Oshie
Defense
Jamie Sabau / World Cup of Hockey / Getty
LD
RD
Torey Krug (30)
John Carlson (32)
Zach Werenski (24)
Seth Jones (27)
Quinn Hughes (22)
Jaccob Slavin (27)
Extras: Charlie McAvoy (24), Jacob Trouba (28)
Team USA boasts an incredibly skilled and balanced defense corps that may be the best in the tournament on paper. Every member of the blue line is a strong skater with plenty of offensive upside that will only be augmented by the larger international ice surface.
The veteran combo of Carlson and Krug would provide the club with an experienced top unit capable of dominating at both ends of the ice, while the Columbus Blue Jackets' dominant duo of Werenski and Jones have the added benefit of chemistry. Slavin is an elite two-way talent who would also serve as an invaluable penalty killer, and pairing him with Hughes could unlock the latter's dynamic skating game and allow him to be aggressive.
McAvoy is already too good to overlook for this team, and he'll only be more developed in two years. Though he's listed as an extra here, the 6-foot blue-liner would be more of a regular as Team USA is afforded the luxury of having seven defensemen they can plug and play throughout the tournament.
Just missed the cut: Adam Fox, Ryan Suter, Keith Yandle, Ryan McDonagh
Goalies
Jonathan Kozub / National Hockey League / Getty
G
Connor Hellebuyck (28)
John Gibson (28)
Extra: Ben Bishop (35)
Team USA has enjoyed a strong cast in net over the last several decades, and that trend will continue in 2022 with a trio of reliable options. It's hard to deny Hellebuyck the starting role after the body of work he's established over the past few campaigns, but Anaheim Ducks puck-stopper John Gibson will certainly present a challenge for the job.
Hellebuyck is the reason the defensively depleted Winnipeg Jets managed to stay competitive this season. His brilliance made up for the club's last-place ranking in several possession stats including expected goals for percentage and share of high-danger scoring chances. The Michigan native also ranks sixth in goals saved above average at five-on-five since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.
Gibson represented team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but hasn't suited up for Team USA since 2013 when he earned a bronze medal at the world championship and a gold at the world juniors.
The facility will now be closed to players who were looking to train there over the weekend, but the team expects to resume practices Monday, Rutherford adds. The infected players were not identified.
Under Phase 2 of the NHL's return-to-play plan, players were permitted to begin working out in small groups at team facilities starting June 8, but the Blues waited until June 22.
The Tampa Bay Lightning were forced to shutter their training facility June 19 after three players tested positive. The venue was cleaned and re-opened five days later.
Fifteen of the 250 players who reported to training facilities for Phase 2 tested positive for the virus as of Monday. Another 11 players who did not report for voluntary workouts have also tested positive since the start of Phase 2.
Phase 3 of the NHL's return plan, which signifies the start of training camp, is set to begin July 10. However, the players have not yet voted to approve Phase 3 and Phase 4.
Lindblom rang the bell at Penn Medical Center on Thursday to signal the end of his cancer treatments. The 23-year-old winger was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in December, which is a rare form of bone cancer.
"I can't even explain how I feel," Lindblom said, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "Feels like having my birthday, Christmas, and all those holidays at the same time.
"Feels awesome to be done. Can't wait to get back to normal life again and feel like I'm living."
Lindblom returned to the ice in June with a small group of teammates for the first time since his diagnosis, but he won't participate in the league's return-to-play plan.
The 6-foot-1 Swede recorded 11 goals and 18 points through 30 games with the Flyers this season before his diagnosis.
Edmonton has been selected to host both the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final this summer, TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Thursday.
Though the NHL has yet to make an official announcement, Edmonton and Toronto have reportedly been tabbed as the two hub cities that will host the 24-team playoff if the league returns this summer.
The NHL and the players' association are working toward a new collective bargaining agreement that includes the return-to-play protocols and remedies for lost revenue due to the league's shutdown. The hub cities are expected to be made official once that agreement is pending player approval.
Edmonton's hub-city plan involves a bubble spanning multiple blocks that includes the JW Marriott hotel, the Sutton Place Hotel, and Rogers Arena and its practice facility. A wall will be built around the bubble to help maintain player and public safety, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.
Training camps are scheduled to begin July 10 under Phase 3 of the league's return-to-play plan.
With the abundance of talent in today's game, there's no shortage of highlight-reel goals. Players continue to get more creative, finding new ways to bring fans out of their seats.
Now that the 2019-20 regular season is officially behind us, let's look back at the five best goals of the campaign.
5. Blake Coleman's one-handed wonder
Coleman's outstanding individual effort is a perfect example of why you should never give up on a play.
The Devils' crafty winger outworks Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dmitry Kulikov before catching an unsuspecting Laurent Brossoit deep in his net with a one-handed shovel shot while falling to the ice.
4. Sonny Milano torches Stars
Milano netted only seven goals in 2019-20, but his dazzling marker against the Dallas Stars was one of the filthiest of the season.
The winger walks around a helpless Roope Hintz - a forward who's completely exposed while covering for a defenseman - before going between his legs at high speed with two Stars on his tail. The degree of difficulty here is simply off the charts.
3. Matthew Tkachuk beats the buzzer in style
The timeliness and spontaneity of Tkachuk's incredible last-ditch effort gives him a slight edge over Milano in the between-the-legs-trickery department.
Not only does Tkachuk have the presence of mind to change his shot angle while flying through the slot at full speed, but he places the puck perfectly upstairs with only 1.4 seconds remaining in overtime. The 22-year-old was remarkably clutch that night, as Tkachuk also tied the game in the final minute of regulation.
2. Andrei Svechnikov does it again
Svechnikov's encore after becoming the first player to pull off "The Michigan" in an NHL game was an even better lacrosse-style tally.
Unlike the first time he executed the move, Svechnikov was in motion against the Jets. His ability to scoop the puck while traveling around the net at a high speed and tuck it past the 6-foot-4 Connor Hellebuyck took the awe-inspiring maneuver to another level.
1. McDavid leaves Rielly in the dust
McDavid's first goal in Toronto was one of his finest yet. Burning a player one-on-one in the fashion McDavid did shouldn't be possible at the highest level of hockey.
The Oilers captain hesitates just slightly before turning on the jets, completely duping Morgan Rielly prior to going top shelf for the finish. Being able to shift gears in a split second and put a skilled defenseman like Rielly on his heels is one of many reasons McDavid is the world's top talent.
Honorable mention: Pekka Rinne's 200-foot prayer
Scoring into an empty net is rarely a memorable feat. Unless you're a goalie, of course.
With the Predators up two goals late in the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks, Rinne found some space to shoot his shot. The Finnish puck-stopper fired a perfect 200-foot strike to become the first netminder since 2013-14 to score an NHL goal.
The NHL and NHLPA are close to a new collective bargaining agreement that would include solutions for the league's revenue losses the COVID-19 shutdown has caused, according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.
The framework discussed would extend the CBA for "around six years," Wyshynski adds.
All 700-plus players are expected to vote on a new CBA, and the return-to-play protocols to restart the league with an expanded 24-team playoff this summer. The league has yet to announce the two hub city locations where the games will be played.
As part of the potential agreement, the salary cap would reportedly remain stagnant at $81.5 million over the next three seasons.
One major point of contention has been escrow, which is a system that withholds a percentage of the players' salaries to ensure all hockey-related revenue is split equally between the NHL and the players. A huge loss in hockey-related revenue due to the hiatus has drastically altered the league's finances.
New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin and Anaheim Ducks veteran Ryan Keslervoiced their dissatisfaction about the high escrow levels, with the former saying the system has "protected the owners' income."
Due to the steep revenue losses, there was speculation escrow could rise as high as 35% for the players, according to Wyshynski. Under the current CBA structure being discussed, however, escrow has reportedly been capped at 20% for the first two seasons of the deal.
Both sides also reportedly support a 10% salary deferral for the players. That money would be paid to the players in two years under what is expected to be a lower escrow rate, which would help the owners' cash flow in the coming seasons.
The winner of the 2020 Draft Lottery has yet to be determined.
One of the placeholder teams participating in the best-of-five qualifying round of the expanded 24-team playoff format will make the first overall selection at the 2020 NHL Draft.
Here's a look at the complete draft order from picks one through eight:
Pick
Team
1
Placeholder team
2
Los Angeles Kings
3
Ottawa Senators
4
Detroit Red Wings
5
Ottawa Senators
6
Anaheim Ducks
7
New Jersey Devils
8
Buffalo Sabres
With a placeholder team winning the top selection, a second lottery will be conducted at some point between the end of the qualifiers and the first round of the 16-team playoffs to determine the final draft order. The eight teams eliminated from the play-in round will each get a 12.5% chance of securing the top pick in the second phase of the lottery.
"Team E" of the placeholder clubs won the top spot with odds of just 2.5%, which belongs to the 12-seed in lottery percentages, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
If the play-in round cannot be completed, the remaining bottom eight teams will get a one-in-eight shot at the top selection, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The Ottawa Senators, who owned a combined 25% chance of landing the first overall selection between their two picks, will pick third and fifth. The Detroit Red Wings fell to No. 4 after holding an 18.5% chance of nabbing the top selection.
The Los Angeles Kings will select second for the first time since 2008, when they drafted blue-chip defenseman Drew Doughty.
Alexis Lafreniere - an electrifying winger from the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL - is expected to be selected with the top pick. The 18-year-old tallied 35 goals while leading the league with 112 points in 52 games. His 2.15 point-per-game rate was the CHL's best since Connor McDavid scored at a 2.50 pace with the Erie Otters in 2014-15.
The NHL salary cap could remain stagnant over the coming seasons as the league and players' association continue to work toward a potential agreement to extend the CBA.
"As part of the agreement, the salary cap will be kept close to the current $81.5 million for the next three seasons," Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Thursday, adding that there's potential for it to go up $1 million in 2022-23.
The 700-plus players in the league will individually vote either for or against the extension.
Other major points of discussion include an escrow cap and salary deferrals for players. According to Friedman, the potential agreement between the two sides caps escrow at 20% for the 2020-21 campaign after original estimates had escrow at 35% if this season was not completed, and 27%-28% if it was.
In order to ensure teams and players split all hockey-related revenue, the NHL and NHLPA retain a percentage of players' salary, known as escrow, during the season.
Another element of the potential deal involves a 10% salary deferral by every player for one season only. That money will be returned to players in the future and the escrow on it would be lower.
Several players, including New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin and Anaheim Ducks veteran Ryan Kesler, voiced their frustrations with high escrow levels that have "protected the owners' income."
Negotiations to extend the CBA have reportedly been linked to the return-to-play talks. Panarin said the players cannot report to training camp, which is set to open July 10, until an agreement is in place.
Montreal Canadiens netminder Carey Pricesaid Thursday he "wouldn't feel comfortable voting at this particular time" with many uncertainties remaining around the league's return-to-play plan.
