The NHL and players' association have finalized a tentative agreement on return-to-play protocols for Phases 3 and 4, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.

The two sides continue to work on the details of a new collective bargaining agreement. It was reported Saturday that the new CBA will run for six years.

Both the return-to-play and CBA agreements will need to be ratified by the league's board of governors and the entire NHLPA, McKenzie reports. Players will have 72 hours to vote.

Some of the details in the tentative agreement include a limit of 30 skaters in Phase 3 (training camps) with an unlimited number of goalies. Only players eligible to play in the resumption of the 2019-20 campaign will be permitted to skate in Phase 3, according to McKenzie.

Players who wish to opt out may do so without penalty but must notify their club by 5 p.m. ET on July 7. All 24 teams participating in the return must submit a list of players to the league by July 9, McKenzie adds.

Players must undergo a pre-participation medical exam, and if both the doctor administering the exam and the team's infectious disease expert determine that a player is at "substantial risk of developing a serious illness," the player will be deemed unfit to play but will be able to seek a second opinion, according to McKenzie.

All players and team personnel must be tested for the coronavirus 48 hours prior to returning to the club's training facilities and every second day after that, according to McKenzie. If the results aren't available within 24 hours, the individual won't be permitted to remain in club training facilities until they receive a negative test result.

Failing to comply with return-to-play protocols in the bubble "could lead to significant financial penalties and potentially the loss of draft picks," according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.

Personnel who are authorized to leave the bubble - either for medical reasons or personal circumstances - will be required to quarantine upon their return pending four negative tests over a four-day span, Seravalli adds. That time frame could be increased depending on location or circumstances outside the bubble.

Training camps are reportedly slated to open July 13, with teams traveling to their respective hubs by July 26 before qualifying-round games begin Aug. 1. The Stanley Cup is to be awarded in early October.

Edmonton and Toronto are reportedly the two locations that have been selected as hub cities to host the remaining games. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will reportedly be held in Edmonton, and family members will be permitted to enter the bubble at that point, according to Seravalli.

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Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook isn't ready to call it quits this season.

The veteran blue-liner, who's undergone three separate surgeries since he last played in December, will try to rejoin the Blackhawks' lineup if play continues this summer, a source told The Athletic's Scott Powers.

Seabrook, 35, underwent surgery on his right shoulder in December, his left hip in January, and his right hip in February. He was initially ruled out for the season, but the pause in play combined with his progress in rehab has apparently made Seabrook's return a possibility.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion hasn't been cleared for contact, but he has been skating and is on track to join the club for training camp, according to Powers. Camp is reportedly expected to open July 13.

Seabrook was limited to 32 games this season and contributed four points while averaging 18:09 of ice time per contest.

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Four players on the St. Louis Blues and one member of the coaching staff tested positive for COVID-19 over the last couple of weeks, a source told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jim Thomas.

The players may have been exposed to the coronavirus at a bar in Clayton, Missouri, where several members of the team congregated over a week ago, according to Thomas. One player reportedly tested positive just days after that gathering.

It is not known whether those who tested positive were experiencing symptoms.

The team reportedly canceled practice on Friday and shuttered its training facility for the weekend due to the test results. The Blues are expected to practice Monday.

Fifteen of the 250 NHL players who reported to team facilities for Phase 2 tested positive for the virus as of Monday. An additional 11 players who did not report for voluntary workouts have also tested positive since June 8, when Phase 2 commenced.

Phase 3 of the NHL's return plan, which signifies the start of training camp, is slated to begin July 10. The NHL and the players' association are reportedly closing in on a new six-year collective bargaining agreement, as well as an agreement on the details of the league's return-to-play plan.

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Don't count Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien among those fantasizing about landing Quebec native and presumptive No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafreniere in the 2020 draft.

The veteran head coach confirmed as much recently, saying the club's focus is solely on beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifying round of the playoffs rather than entering the lottery for a chance to draft the hometown phenom.

"Everybody's got their opinions and they're entitled to them," Julien told NHL.com's Dave Stubbs. "Some fans, rightfully so, get excited about seeing the possibility of seeing that guy (Lafreniere). But imagine if we didn't win the first round and we don't get Lafreniere? How are the fans going to react then?"

He continued: "I know there are a lot of comments going around that say, my gosh, we should lose in the first round so we have a chance at the first pick overall and have a chance at a local boy, Lafreniere. Trust me, I'd love to have this player on my team. But there's no guarantee even if we go out in the first round that we would have that player."

The Canadiens are the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. After a place-holder team won the No. 1 overall pick in last month's draft lottery, it was determined each team eliminated from the play-in round will enter the next stage of the lottery and own a 12.5% chance at winning the top selection.

"If we win (against the Penguins), we're getting better as a team," Julien said. "If circumstances go the other way, then maybe we do get a shot at him. But at the end of the day we're built to win. We're professional athletes, we're competitive. There's no reason in the world to think otherwise. That's the direction we're going."

Montreal went 1-1-1 against Pittsburgh this season, with the Penguins outscoring the Canadiens 8-7.

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With Olympic participation reportedly included in the NHL and NHLPA's modified collective bargaining agreement, it's time for hockey fans to begin to think about what the tournament may look like.

Following a look at Team Canada, our series continues with Team USA and how the country shapes up for the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Americans have finished in the top four - including a pair of silver medals - in three of the previous four Olympics involving NHL players. With a young and potent roster for 2022, Team USA has an incredible chance to capture gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.

Others in this series:
Canada
Sweden
Finland
Czech Republic - July 10
Russia - July 12

Team USA

Head coach: Mike Sullivan

Sullivan served as an assistant coach for Team USA at both the 2006 Olympics in Turin and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and deserves the opportunity to take the lead role behind the bench. The Massachusetts native has led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a pair of Stanley Cups since the last time NHL players were permitted at the Olympics in 2014, and has a ton of experience keeping a star-studded roster in order.

Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill will also be a strong candidate after receiving the job for the Americans at the 2019 world championships, but Sullivan's experience and winning pedigree makes him a tough option to overlook.

Forwards

(All ages as of February 2022)

Extras: Vincent Trocheck (28), Jack Hughes (20)

The Americans' loaded forward group has only two players with prior Olympic experience, which is a testament to the nation's recent wave of dynamic young talent. Finding the net shouldn't be a problem for Team USA, as the lineup boasts nine players who've recorded at least one 30-goal campaign, with five of them accomplishing that milestone before turning 22.

Reuniting U.S. NTDP teammates Matthews and Tkachuk on the top line alongside Kane is a scary proposition, and having a passing wizard like Gaudreau with a sniper like Boeser flank Eichel presents a second trio that will cause matchup headaches for most countries.

Yes, Wheeler will be 35, but his leadership is invaluable and the team would benefit from keeping a few veterans around. He's also a rare talent who's peaked in his 30s and has a ton of experience playing alongside Jets teammate Connor. Wheelers' advanced hockey savvy combined with Larkin's speed and Connor's elite scoring ability is an intriguing combination. Finally, the team's fourth line features a pair of recent 40-goal scorers and the versatile J.T. Miller, who can play up the middle and adds a needed element of grit.

It's hard to project how the long layoff between the NHL's shutdown in March and the start of the 2020-21 campaign will impact Jack Hughes' developmental arc. That said, he should have at least one more full season of pro hockey under his belt by the time the Olympics roll around, and we like his chances of earning a role on the team, even if it's as an extra.

As for the omissions, the talent on the wing presents a tough reality for aging players like T.J. Oshie, Max Pacioretty, and Phil Kessel. If management elects to keep a mix of older talent in the fold, one of these veterans could still get the call.

Just missed the cut: Clayton Keller, Chris Kreider, Brady Tkachuk, Pacioretty, Oshie

Defense

Extras: Charlie McAvoy (24), Jacob Trouba (28)

Team USA boasts an incredibly skilled and balanced defense corps that may be the best in the tournament on paper. Every member of the blue line is a strong skater with plenty of offensive upside that will only be augmented by the larger international ice surface.

The veteran combo of Carlson and Krug would provide the club with an experienced top unit capable of dominating at both ends of the ice, while the Columbus Blue Jackets' dominant duo of Werenski and Jones have the added benefit of chemistry. Slavin is an elite two-way talent who would also serve as an invaluable penalty killer, and pairing him with Hughes could unlock the latter's dynamic skating game and allow him to be aggressive.

McAvoy is already too good to overlook for this team, and he'll only be more developed in two years. Though he's listed as an extra here, the 6-foot blue-liner would be more of a regular as Team USA is afforded the luxury of having seven defensemen they can plug and play throughout the tournament.

Just missed the cut: Adam Fox, Ryan Suter, Keith Yandle, Ryan McDonagh

Goalies

Extra: Ben Bishop (35)

Team USA has enjoyed a strong cast in net over the last several decades, and that trend will continue in 2022 with a trio of reliable options. It's hard to deny Hellebuyck the starting role after the body of work he's established over the past few campaigns, but Anaheim Ducks puck-stopper John Gibson will certainly present a challenge for the job.

Hellebuyck is the reason the defensively depleted Winnipeg Jets managed to stay competitive this season. His brilliance made up for the club's last-place ranking in several possession stats including expected goals for percentage and share of high-danger scoring chances. The Michigan native also ranks sixth in goals saved above average at five-on-five since the start of the 2017-18 campaign.

Gibson represented team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, but hasn't suited up for Team USA since 2013 when he earned a bronze medal at the world championship and a gold at the world juniors.

Just missed the cut: Thatcher Demko

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