Playoffs | The NHL wants games in the 3rd round in Canada

Lee Bertiam
The Canadian Press

Sources in both federal governments have confirmed that they are considering a case where both teams are exempt from the current 14-day detention in Canada after their return from the United States.

These groups were asked to remain anonymous as they did not have the authority to speak publicly about the matter.

They suggested that the NHL was already working with the public health of the provinces – Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba – which still had a playoff team to approve its protocols. Negotiations are also underway with cities such as Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg.

When the league receives an agreement at various municipal and provincial levels, it intends to make an official request to Federal Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, who should represent the final stage of the process.

An NHL spokesman said the league was waiting for governments to respond.

The winner of the seventh game of the series between the Montreal Canadians and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night will cross the Swords with the Winnipeg Jets in the second round.

In the semi-finals, the champion team from the North Division will face the American team. This is the first clash between the Canadian team and the American team this season.

In April, players who traded at the trade deadline were allowed to reduce the length of their blockade to seven days.

If the Canadian authorities refuse to ease travel restrictions to the United States, the Canadian team participating in the semi-finals, and possibly the final, will have to relocate to a temporary home in the United States.

Other professional Canadian teams had to relocate to the United States this season to avoid a blockade. The same is true of CF Montreal in soccer, other Canadian teams in the MLS, the Toronto Raptors in basketball and the Toronto Blue Jays in major baseball.

With information from Joshua Clipperton