Teams not permitted to disclose injuries, illness during playoffs

All 24 teams participating in the NHL's return-to-play plan will not be permitted to disclose information regarding player injuries or illnesses, the league announced Saturday.

"Given the unique circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, effective with the start of Phase 3 (Monday, July 13) and, including the entirety of the Phase 4 Return to Play, the NHL and NHL Players' Association have mutually agreed that clubs are not permitted to disclose player injury and/or illness information. This policy was adopted out of respect for an individual player's right to medical privacy. The league will continue to announce, on a regular basis throughout Phase 3 and Phase 4, positive player test results for COVID-19 while not releasing individual player or team identities," reads the statement.

The NHL and NHLPA officially ratified a CBA extension and all necessary return-to play-safety protocols for the hub locations in Toronto and Edmonton on Friday. Coaches, players, and any other team members will be tested daily during Phase 4 (playoffs), according to the NHL.

During Phase 2, which permitted limited groups of skaters to participate in voluntary on- and off-ice workouts, 35 NHLers returned positive tests.

Teams are scheduled to report to their respective hub destinations July 26, with qualifying-round games slated to begin Aug. 1.

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