What Phase 2 will look like for the New York Rangers
Yesterday we reported that Phase 2 of the NHL’s Return to Play begins today and the MSG Training Center will be opening soon. According to a team source, the Center will open for players to train on Tuesday, or Wednesday the latest. What will that look like since the guidelines state that groups must be small and limited to no more than 6 players at a time.
Phase 2 Breakdown
- Phase 2 will start June 8th
- Player participation is voluntary
- NHL clubs cannot require players to return to home city
- 6 players max at time in practice facility
- On ice workouts for players only, no coaches
- Players must wear a mask unless on ice or working out
Local Rangers
At the moment, you should expect to see only local Rangers like Chris Kreider and Artemi Panarin who are in Connecticut to be at the training facility. Players like Adam Fox, Tony DeAngelo and a number of other Blueshirts are nearby as well. Brandon Crawley told us that members of the Wolf Pack will likely be involved as the Rangers have asked them to be ready for a call. Other Rangers like Jacob Trouba who is in Florida are expected to come soon and start training with teammates.
Rangers Overseas
As noted, the Rangers are not permitted to require players to return to their home city. So what does this mean for the Blueshirts overseas? Not too much at the moment, as players like Zibanejad in Sweden and Kakko in Finland have been doing on ice workouts. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev has been working out with Kakko, confirmed via Instagram videos.
Henrik Lundqvist also has no plans to return until Phase 3. Currently, he is working out with professional players in Sweden. All in all this week marks another step towards games. The sights and sounds of NHL players on ice will be most welcome for sure.
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