WaFd Bank Weekly Warmup: July 20

As players skate and shoot into their second week of training camp in preparation for the upcoming 24-team postseason, it's an opportune time consider Week 1 of camps and take a quick peek back at the 2019-20 regular season that was halted after games played March 11.
Let's drop the
WaFd Bank
Weekly Warmup puck:

Testing, Testing
The NHL announced encouraging results from five days of COVID-19 testing during start week of summer training camps: More than 800 players were tested 2,618 times with only two positive results. Here's more from the NHL statement on Week 1 tests: "Both players who tested positive have self-isolated and are following CDC and Health Canada protocols. During Phase 3, the NHL will continue to provide regular updates on the number of tests administered to layers and the results of those tests. The League will not be providing information on the identity of the Players or clubs."
Travel Plans
This is a big week for the league's Return to Play plans. NHL leaders and players alike have acknowledged if teams can get to the hub cities of Toronto and Edmonton healthy and safe when arriving from 22 other NHL cities on the coming weekend, the "bubbles" in the two Canadian cities will significantly reduce what has to be protected and contained during the ongoing COVID-189 pandemic. But Canada's government protocol requires a steep requirement for each player's entry into the two cities (whether U.S. or Canadian): Players will need three negative test spaced 48 hours apart in the seven days prior to travel. A positive test after mid-week would prompt some players to have to stay back until getting the three consecutive negative tests. Games begin Aug. 1.
Awards Season
The NHL Awards typically fit snugly into the league schedule during late June, after the Stanley Cup Final and before the NHL Draft. This year, fans will have to wait until early fall to see their favorite stars to be honored. But for now we can ponder the nominees for the 2019-20 name plate to be affixed to the NHL's array of authentic trophies. The nominees are determined by votes of Pro Hockey Writers Association members.
Monday's news revealed the three defensemen nominated for the 2019-20 Norris Trophy to be awarded "to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position." Washington's John Carlson, Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman and Nashville's Roman Josi are the finalists. Carlson and Josi are first-time nominees while Hedman has been nominated four straight season, winning the Norris in at the 2018 NHL Awards ceremony. Swedish native Hedman is the first d-man to be nominated four consecutive NHL years since his fellow countryman and no doubt a role model Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings was selected from 2005-06 through 2009-09. Despite a shortened regular season his 60 assists were the most by a Capitals defenseman since Scott Stevens recorded a franchise-record 61 in 1988-89 and his 75 points were just six fewer than Larry Murphy's record of 23-58--81 set in 1986-87. If the winner is Josi, he would be the first Norris Trophy winner for Nashville.
On the Defensive
One other category of nominees was announced by the NHL Monday. The Selke Trophy that honors "the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game" has some familiar faces up for consideration. Boston's Patrice Bergeron extended his own record by being nominated for the Selke for the ninth straight season. He has won it four times, tied all-time with Montreal's Bob Gainey, who played a vital role during the 1970s glory days of the Montreal Canadiens. Philadelphia's Sean Couturier earned a nomination and is getting a lot of media attention as a deserving winner. He finished second in the 2017-18 Selke voting and lead the NHL in faceoff win percentage during the regular season, winning just a puck or three shy of 60 percent. The third nominee is St. Louis' Ryan O'Reilly won the defensive forward (aka "200-foot player") last summer.
Honors Roll
O'Reilly is double nominee for the top-seeded Blues in the Western Conference postseason tournament set for Edmonton. He was tabbed as a finalist for the Lady Byng sportsmanship trophy, joined by young stars Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado and Auston Matthews of Toronto. There are lots more intriguing names on the awards so far released (the rest of the categories will announced Tuesday):
- Calder Trophy: Quinn Hughes (Vancouver), Cale Makar (Colorado) and Dominik Kubalik (Chicago) in what is expected to be a choice between budding star defenders Hughes and Makar for top rookie honors. - Vezina Trophy: Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg), Tuukka Rask (Boston) and last year's winner as top goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay). - Lindsay Award:Players vote in this version of the most valuable player category. This year's best of best as deemed by peers are Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton), double nominee Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado) and Artemi Panarin (New York Rangers). - Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (dedication to hockey): Stephen Johns (Dallas), Oskar Lindblom (Philadelphia) and Bobby Ryan (Ottawa). - Jack Adams Award (coach of the year): While each of these bench bosses would most like to win the Stanley Cup this summer, they earned nods as the NHL's best coach based on superb coaching during the shortened season: Bruce Cassidy (Boston), John Tortorella (Columbus) and Alain Vigneault (Philadelphia).