The United States-Canadian border remains closed to nonessential travel until May 18, which is one major roadblock when it comes to restarting the NHL season. Many players are currently residing in their hometowns, and are unable to return to their NHL cities.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked in a Sunday press briefing about NHL players potentially returning to their team's city before the border is reopened.
"I think it’s a question we’ll have to look into," Trudeau said. "Certainly at a strict minimum, anyone who arrives from another country will have to follow all the rules of quarantine in an extremely strict manner, but we’re not there yet in our discussions with the NHL.