The resumption of the 2019-20 NHL season is only days away, as the qualifying round of the Stanley Cup playoffs begins with five matchups on Saturday. They'll be the first meaningful games to be played since the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic in mid-March.
They will also be the first games played without fans in the NHL's two bubble cities, Edmonton and Toronto, where the 24 teams that will be in action have been preparing for the season to resume.
And according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, there have been some positive reports and enthusiasm about players' conditions since they've gotten back on the ice.