Big news out of Ottawa on Thursday, as the federal government has announced an exemption to the 14-day quarantine for NHL clubs that is otherwise mandatory for anyone entering the country. This will provide the NHL franchises in Canadian markets with the latitude they need to ensure training camps begin on time.
The main factors that have compelled Canadian health officials to grant such an exemption are reportedly the "robust measures to mitigate the risk of importation and spread of COVID-19 in Canada" as established by the NHL in their negotiations with the NHLPA in their Return to Play plan.
Teams are expected to adhere to all provincial rules throughout training camps and regular-season play - and the provinces have already provided the NHL and NHLPA with written support to proceed, however they have yet to officially approve, though that seems to be a formality at this stage.
The teams in the North Division are expected to play each other approximately 9-10 times each during the regular season, and will also play only each other through the first two rounds of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, eliminating any imminent travel plans South of the border.
This bodes extremely well for the seven Canadian franchises who can now rest assured that camps will proceed without a hitch despite the different restrictions among the 5 provinces that are home to NHL clubs.
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