Yes, Virginia, there is something known as hockey and players will be on the ice this week. Last Thursday, the NHL announced that the league is transitioning to Phase 2 of its Return To Play Plan effective Monday, June 8. Participation is voluntary and only up to six players can be on the ice at once.
Per Larry Brooks, the Rangers may need more time to conform with the testing regimen. If so, and that’s the way it appears, they would open their building on Tuesday or possibly Wednesday at the latest.. Only a handful of Rangers — Chris Kreider, Marc Staal, Brendan Smith, Adam Fox and Brendan Lemieux, who just recently returned — are currently in the area. With the current travel rules and restrictions in place, the return of those Rangers who are in Canada, but especially overseas, will take a while, but that hopefully too is around the corner.
Small baby steps. The move from Phase 2 to Phase 3 - full opening of camps - is about a month away based on the projected July 10 or so date for Phase 3. But for those of us starved for hockey, especially seeing players on the ice, this is a positive first step.
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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