NHL to expand informal skates

The NHL will permit teams to expand their informal skates to 12 players on Tuesday according to a report from Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

The informal, voluntary skate sessions had been limited to six players at a time since the NHL entered Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan on June 8. Players have remained in the same groups of six players each to avoid the groups of players coming in contact with each other.

Pending a formal agreement between the NHL and NHLPA to officially return to play, training camps are set to open on July 10, and qualifying round games would begin on July 30.

The Lightning's facility remains closed after three players and additional staff members tested positive for coronavirus last week. The three Lightning players are among the 11 players around the league who have tested positive for coronavirus between the start of the informal skates on June 8 and June 19.