The NHL and NHLPA have agreed to begin Phase 3 of the return-to-play plan, and teams will report for training camps on July 10, the league announced Thursday.

If medical and safety conditions permit a start, and if the parties have reached an overall agreement on resuming, camps for all 24 returning teams will begin. The length of training camp and the start date for a formal resumption of play (Phase 4) haven't been determined.

The two hub cities that will serve as hosts for the playoffs also remain undecided.

Some Canadian teams, including the Calgary Flames, have explored holding training camp in the United States to avoid Canada's 14-day quarantine rule for anyone entering the country.

Many teams had players return to club facilities in small groups this week for both on- and off-ice training as part of Phase 2.

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Projected No. 1 pick Alexis Lafreniere has won the Canadian Hockey League David Branch Player of the Year Award for the second straight season, the league announced Wednesday.

The 6-foot-1 winger with the Rimouski Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is the second player to win the award in consecutive campaigns, joining former Rimouski captain Sidney Crosby, who earned the honor in 2004 and 2005.

“I’m really honored to have won the David Branch trophy for the CHL MVP,” Lafreniere said. “I would like to thank my teammates, coaches, and all the organization in Rimouski for what they’ve done for me. I wouldn’t be here without them so a big thanks to everyone.”

Lafreniere tallied 35 goals while leading the QMJHL 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 Quebec native also captured a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2020 world juniors, when he was named tournament MVP.

Finalists for the award included 2020 NHL Draft prospect Marco Rossi of the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, and Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Beckman of the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs.

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Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel affirmed that he and management are on the same page when it comes to their feelings about the club's lack of progress in recent seasons.

"I spoke with both Ralph (Krueger) and Jason (Botterill) about it and they understand the frustration and they're frustrated too," Eichel told TSN's Darren Dreger. "I'm not the only guy that's doing it, I might have expressed my opinion a little more bluntly but that's just how it is."

Eichel voiced his disappointment in May when speaking about missing the playoffs for a fifth straight season: "I'm fed up with the losing and I'm frustrated," he said. "It's been a tough past couple of months and a tough past five years."

The 23-year-old pivot believes the open line of communication is a positive thing and that everyone needs to be held accountable.

"I mean, I think if they don't hear that from guys then that's when you start to worry. If guys are OK with the fact that we're not winning, that we're not putting ourselves in the postseason season after season, that's where you get to find an issue."

Eichel led the Sabres in scoring for the fourth straight campaign, racking up 78 points and a career-high 36 goals in 68 games.

Buffalo owns the longest playoff drought in the NHL at nine seasons.

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Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares returned to the ice with several teammates Tuesday as part of Phase 2 of the NHL's return-to-play plan.

"Going back to the rink, seeing each other - even with things being different, it's such a breath of fresh air," Tavares said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

Limited to the six-player maximum, Tavares skated in a group that included winger Ilya Mikheyev, defenseman Jake Muzzin, and goaltender Jack Campbell. The 6-foot-1 pivot also expects Mitch Marner and Cody Ceci to join the club Thursday.

Most players around the league have not been able to skate since the NHL suspended play March 12, and Tavares stressed how crucial it is for his club to take advantage of these early summer skates.

"Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we can take steps to play together (as a full team)," Tavares said, according to the Toronto Sun's Lance Hornby. "We have to benefit from this opportunity to maximize (training). It’s not like we’re going to have four preseason games. We need to perform right off the bat."

Tavares said the small group of Leafs and a few coaches are "brainstorming" different drills to help maximize the 45-minute ice time limit allotted under Phase 2 protocol.

The Maple Leafs are slated to take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in a best-of-five qualifying series under the NHL's 24-team playoff format.

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St. Louis Blues forward Ryan O'Reilly says winning the Stanley Cup last spring allowed him to rediscover his passion for the sport.

"I think it's completely revamped my entire hockey career," O'Reilly said on the "Hockey Sense Podcast" with Andy Strickland.

"In the NHL, never really getting a good taste of winning and never winning a playoff series and then coming here (St. Louis) and you win the ultimate hockey goal. It completely changed that part of me to be now known as a winner."

The 29-year-old pivot spent three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres prior to joining the Blues, and admitted to losing his love for the game in 2017-18 after Buffalo finished near the bottom of the standings for a third straight season. He was traded to the Blues that summer and has seen his career take off ever since.

O'Reilly potted a career-best 28 goals and 77 points in 2018-19, earning both the Selke Trophy and Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. In the playoffs, O'Reilly led the Blues with 23 points in 26 contests and claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP.

After pacing the team in scoring with 61 points through 71 games this season, O'Reilly's success has left him hungry for more.

"It's been amazing but also getting a taste of it, you want to do it again and when you look at our team, we're going to have another opportunity to do that so there's a lot of excitement there."

St. Louis owned the top spot in the Central Division when the season was suspended in March, and will compete against the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars in a round-robin tournament to establish the top four Western Conference seeds for the playoffs.

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Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane is fighting racial injustice in the United States with both his words and his actions.

"Racism and injustice in our country must end," Kane tweeted Friday. "As a white male in this society, I will never truly understand. But I want to help in this fight for change - and I know I cannot do that in silence."

He announced he was contributing to Chicago charity My Block, My Hood, My City and the Chicago chapter of the national nonprofit All Stars Project, and he encouraged people "to learn more about the many inspirational and impactful organizations serving the black community."

Protests across the country began last week after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis while in police custody.

Kane said he was inspired by My Block, My Hood, My City founder Jahmal Cole, who challenged those looking to denounce racism and spark change to think about "something simple I can do that will have a positive influence on my block."

The 31-year-old winger also shared a video explaining systemic racism that Kane credited for helping him begin to understand the problem.

Former NHL defenseman Mark Fraser, who is black, urged the hockey community to go beyond the internet in order to create true change.

"Social media posts are great, but it can't end there," Fraser wrote Friday. "Don't let an Instagram story be the only thing you did. That's not enough. We need more. George Floyd needs more! Trayvon Martin needs more! Breonna Taylor needs more! Eric Garner needs more! Ahmaud Arbery needs more!"

Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin joined a protest in Dallas on Thursday.

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Hall of Fame forward Igor Larionov has been named head coach of Team Russia for the 2021 World Junior Championship, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced Friday.

"This appointment is a great honor for me," Larionov said. "The task of replacing a coach such as Valeri Bragin, who headed the U20 national team for many years, is very difficult."

Larionov was an assistant under Bragin at the 2020 world juniors. Bragin, who served as Russia's bench boss at the event for the last six years, will instead coach the national team at the 2021 World Championship, which is set for May 7-23, 2021 in Belarus and Latvia.

"A difficult task gives me additional energy," Larionov said. "We have many good players who are on the radar of the U20 national team. I see that our team has very big potential. ... I am optimistic about entering a new position and want to help our hockey become a leader on the world stage."

Larionov, 59, captured three Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002) while playing for the Detroit Red Wings. He was a member of the "Russian Five," a nickname given to the group of Russian players from the Soviet Union that played for the club in the 1990s.

The 5-foot-9 pivot won two Olympic gold medals for the Soviet Union in 1984 and 1988 and was an integral member of the Soviet squad that captured the 1981 Canada Cup.

Russia earned silver at the 2020 world juniors, losing to Canada in the final. The 2021 tournament is scheduled for Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2021 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.

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Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.

An unnamed player on the Pittsburgh Penguins tested positive for the coronavirus but has since recovered and is feeling well, the team announced Wednesday.

"The Pittsburgh Penguins were advised today that a player tested positive for the COVID-19 virus," the team said in a statement. "The player is not in Pittsburgh and has been in isolation at his home since first experiencing symptoms. He is recovered and feeling well. Those in close contact with the player leading up to his diagnosis have been notified."

Nine players have now tested positive for the coronavirus since the NHL season was suspended March 12. All have since recovered.

The NHL plans to continue its season this summer by staging a 24-team playoff split by conference between two hub cities.

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The Edmonton Oilers are fully aware that getting past the Chicago Blackhawks, who still roster several top players from their three Stanley Cup victories last decade, will be no small task in their best-of-five play-in series this summer.

“You look at Chicago, the thing that jumps out at you is the championship pedigree they have in (Jonathan) Toews, and (Patrick) Kane, and (Duncan) Keith," Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector.

"They’re top, top players - elite players. And you have to respect where they’ve been, what they’ve done."

The Oilers finished with a much better points percentage (.585) than the Blackhawks (.514) and thus own the higher seed in the No. 5 versus No. 12 matchup.

Edmonton, however, enters the play-in round with considerably less postseason experience. The Blackhawks' roster features eight players who've played in at least 65 career playoff games, while the Oilers boast just one who meets that mark in veteran winger James Neal. Despite the discrepancy, Tippett expects his club to be up to the task.

"We're going to concentrate on what we have to do to be successful," Tippett said. "We'll be prepared for what we have to do, and also look at Chicago and see if there's anything we have to be aware of going into the series."

League play was suspended March 12. Tippett predicts that players will respond to the long layoff differently, and that will have an impact on the Oilers' lineup strategy.

“There are going to be guys who have an extra jump in their step, and there might be some guys where the pause has taken a toll on their bodies. We'll monitor that," said Tippett. "Some of it is, we'll look at our opponent and see if there are some matchups that are better than others. There are a lot of questions."

Both the Blackhawks and the Oilers last appeared in the postseason in 2017.

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The Edmonton Oilers are fully aware that getting past the Chicago Blackhawks, who still roster several top players from their three Stanley Cup victories last decade, will be no small task in their best-of-five play-in series this summer.

“You look at Chicago, the thing that jumps out at you is the championship pedigree they have in (Jonathan) Toews, and (Patrick) Kane, and (Duncan) Keith," Oilers head coach Dave Tippett said Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector.

"They’re top, top players - elite players. And you have to respect where they’ve been, what they’ve done."

The Oilers finished with a much better points percentage (.585) than the Blackhawks (.514) and thus own the higher seed in the No. 5 versus No. 12 matchup.

Edmonton, however, enters the play-in round with considerably less postseason experience. The Blackhawks' roster features eight players who've played in at least 65 career playoff games, while the Oilers boast just one who meets that mark in veteran winger James Neal. Despite the discrepancy, Tippett expects his club to be up to the task.

"We're going to concentrate on what we have to do to be successful," Tippett said. "We'll be prepared for what we have to do, and also look at Chicago and see if there's anything we have to be aware of going into the series."

League play was suspended March 12. Tippett predicts that players will respond to the long layoff differently, and that will have an impact on the Oilers' lineup strategy.

“There are going to be guys who have an extra jump in their step, and there might be some guys where the pause has taken a toll on their bodies. We'll monitor that," said Tippett. "Some of it is, we'll look at our opponent and see if there are some matchups that are better than others. There are a lot of questions."

Both the Blackhawks and the Oilers last appeared in the postseason in 2017.

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