Blue Jackets players return to the ice for workouts

This morning, a tangible step in the return to NHL hockey took place at the OhioHealth Ice Haus in Columbus.

Around 10:30 a.m., five Blue Jackets players took to the ice for a skate, the first team activity staged on the ice since the NHL paused its season because of the coronavirus pandemic in March.

Phase 2 of the NHL's return to play plan, in which players are permitted to return to club training facilities for small-group individualized training activities staged both on the ice and off of it, began Monday. Rehabbing players were in the building that day, while the full complement Blue Jackets players in Columbus taking part in the Phase 2 workouts took to the ice for the first time Thursday morning.

"It's just fun to be back," said forward Gus Nyquist, who was among the players in the morning skate along with Oliver Bjorkstrand, Seth Jones, Andrew Peeke and Matiss Kivlenieks. "It felt like you took the whole summer off from skating basically and started back up again. We went out for probably half an hour. We figured we'd start a little slower before we ramp up the skates just to get a feel for it again, but it was just great to see the guys."

Nothing close to a full team is back in Columbus -- only nine players comprising two groups are currently taking part in the voluntary workouts, with formal training camps not slated to begin July 10, the league and players association announced today -- but the sound of steel meeting ice makes it feel like hockey is on the way back.

Other than those rehabbing, Blue Jackets players hadn't skated as part of a team-sanctioned activity since March 11, when the team held a practice session ahead of a scheduled home game against Pittsburgh a day later. But as the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic became more and more clear, the league indefinitely paused its schedule March 12.

Since then, players have been working on their own to stay in shape, with Nyquist saying he has been using Marsblade inline skates, which offer a more ice-skating like feel than traditional roller blades, to get his skating in. Still, there's nothing quite like being on the ice, he said.

"I've been able to do that a little bit, but yeah, it's the same every time -- when you've taken over a month or two off from skating, you feel like you've never played before," Nyquist said with a laugh. "But it comes back fast, too. We get a week or two into this and you'll hopefully start being back to feeling normal."

The league's plan to resume action this summer and continue the 2019-20 season has been negotiated over the past few weeks by a Return To Play committee that includes both players and NHL executives.

There's no firm date to return to game action with the 24 teams who will continue in a playoff-style format -- Columbus will take on Toronto, with the teams knotted at 81 points in 70 games this year,

in a five-game qualifying series

for the Stanley Cup Playoffs when action resumes -- but an outline has at least been agreed upon should medical conditions allow.

And with safety ever in mind, the NHL has laid out a number of

policies players and teams must follow

in the return to play process as Phase 2 kicks off. Groups of players must social distance during both skates and off-ice training sessions, and the groups can contain six players at most. One week after teams return to the ice -- i.e., next Thursday for the Blue Jackets -- one coach as well as a goaltending coach can participate in skates as well, but other hockey operations staff are not permitted to interact with players.

For Columbus, Group A includes forwards Nyquist and Bjorkstrand, defensemen Jones and Peeke, and Kivlenieks in net, with assistant coach Brad Larsen to join next week. Group B, which skated this afternoon, features forwards Riley Nash and Liam Foudy, defenseman Scott Harrington, and goalie Elvis Merzlikins, who will be joined by assistant coach Kenny McCudden and goaltending coach Manny Legace.

In addition, prior to the start of Phase 2, Blue Jackets medical director Dr. Joe Ruane and head athletic trainer Mike Vogt conducted a remote educational meeting for players regarding the virus, the risks associated with it and the Phase 2 protocols. Players were tested for the virus prior to returning to club training facilities and underwent a pre-participation medical evaluation. Players taking part are also subject to daily temperature checks and are tested twice weekly for COVID-19.

Each NHL club also must appoint a facility hygiene officer who is responsible for overseeing, implementing and ensuring compliance with all aspects of the Phase 2 protocol. In addition, each club must regularly clean its facility, with required standards consistent with CDC recommendations on actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases including the coronavirus.

"For all the trainers and equipment guys in the room, the effort they've put in now, it's a lot of extra work for them to provide a safe environment for us and that shouldn't go unnoticed," Nyquist said. "That's a lot of extra hours they're putting in, so a big thanks to them for making this possible for us."