Alberta became the first province to green-light NHL games Thursday, the province said in a statement to The Canadian Press.

Provincial lawmakers approved Calgary and Edmonton for competition on Dec. 25 after examining the league's return-to-play protocols.

Meanwhile, Canada's federal government agreed to allow the start of NHL training camps by issuing an exemption to the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for players and team staff returning to the country, citing "national interest grounds."

The four other Canadian provinces that host NHL teams - British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec - still need to sign off on permitting NHL games.

All seven Canadian clubs will play in the same division as part of the league's realignment for the upcoming campaign. The new divisional structure has been known for weeks, but the league still requires the approval of provincial and federal governments in conjunction with health officials.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said last week the league believes it is "aligned and in agreement (with lawmakers) on the conditions on which each of our Canadian franchises can begin play in their own buildings for the start of the 2020-21 NHL season."

The regular season is slated to begin on Jan. 13. Training camps for clubs that took part in last season's 24-team playoff begin Jan. 3, while the seven squads that missed out on that postseason open camp Thursday.

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