In the NHL, business is about to pick up.
General managers are heading back to their offices and starting to work the phones again with agents. At least one team is assembling its coaching staff this week to begin prep for training camp, which begins around Sept. 21.
This is good news for the players that remain on the open market with contracts, hoping for clarity about their NHL future. Some have been told to wait as teams clean up their salary caps through mechanisms like long-term injured reserve. Some are expecting to come into camps on tryout contracts, either with the promise of a job or the promise to compete for one.