Report: NHL team facilities must open around same time for players to return

Find out the latest on COVID-19's impact on the sports world and when sports are returning by subscribing to Breaking News push notifications in the Sports and COVID-19 section.

If the NHL does eventually return to the ice to finish off the 2019-20 season, teams won't be getting an unfair advantage in regard to training.

"Phase 2 can't really get started until the large majority of the NHL teams are able to open up and that means players coming back," TSN's Darren Dreger said Tuesday on "Insider Trading."

He continued: "Even though the majority of clubs may be able to open up, unless they can all open up at the same time or around the same time the NHL isn't going to allow players to go to their club facility again until the majority are able to do that."

With different guidelines set in place throughout North America for COVID-19, certain teams may be given the green light from their local government before others to return to work.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that NHL players would not be exempt from the current strict quarantine policies if they enter the country.

Dreger added the NHL is "encouraged" by the markets that are loosening up, and the league is monitoring carefully for setbacks. He added the NHL remains hopeful it will be able to initiate Phase 2 in late May.