The Canadian government is preparing to approve a seven-day quarantine period for NHL players looking to enter the country, according to a report from CBC. This news comes just before the league's trade deadline on April 12, which could clear the way for players on teams in the United States to more easily make their way up north for at least the remainder of the season.
As things currently stand in Canada, the quarantine period is 14 days for anyone else wanting to cross over from the U.S., meaning that the NHL and the government have approved cutting that quarantine period in half. So far this season, only four of the six trades this season have been between Canadian and U.S.-based teams -- though it's worth noting that three involved minor league players that haven't seen NHL-level action.
In order to prevent logistical issues that following a government-mandated quarantine would bring to this already inconsistent season that has seen over 40 games postponed, Canadian teams in the NHL have been playing amongst themselves as their own conference. While that policy will continue for at least the remainder of the regular season, one has to wonder what sort of implications this change has for the postseason.
As CBS noted in their report, the most significant cross-border trade happened earlier this season when the Jets got Pierre-Luc Dubois from the Blue Jackets for Patrik Laine in late January.
