Nico Hischier is making the most out of his free time during an offseason that's been extended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The New Jersey Devils forward has been fulfilling his military obligation in his native Switzerland, according to NHL.com's David Satriano. Service is mandatory for all able-bodied male Swiss citizens once they turn 18 years old.

"This summer is 18 weeks, and then every summer for the next six-to-seven years I have to be there for three weeks - but just from Monday to Thursday - you have to be at that training center," Hischier said on Saturday. "If you (play in) the World Championships tournament for Switzerland, that counts as well (for up to three weeks)."

The 21-year-old notes the routine is different for athletes who serve in the army, and that it's mostly just training with no access to weapons. He hasn't been given his rank yet, but he'll become a sports soldier upon his completion of service this summer.

"We didn't do that much army stuff yet," Hischier added. "It's more of wearing the right clothes when we go to the training center. They have everything there so you are really able to work out good and do your military service as well. One reason I did it was because I needed to stay in shape, because I didn't know where to go since gyms weren't open and I couldn't just work out at home."

"Because of the coronavirus, for the first four weeks we were at home, and did a home-schooling kind of thing," he continued. "We had exercises on the computer we had to basically learn. After that, we went to a training center where the army for athletes is. We started with some 45-minute meetings where we learn (first aid). We were there from Monday to Friday and we work out twice a day."

Hischier is on track to complete his initial service in mid-August.

The 2017 first overall pick scored 14 goals and added 22 assists in 58 games this season. He inked a seven-year, $50.75-million contract in October, which kicks in next season.

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The NHL shortened its list of 10 potential hub cities to six with Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Vegas still in the running, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun adds that the "hope and expectation" is for the NHL and NHLPA to agree on two hub cities by the end of this upcoming week.

Vancouver has picked up steam to be selected as one of the two destinations, according to Sportsnet's Satiar Shah.

On Friday, the Canadian government approved the NHL's proposal to use a cohort quarantine approach for players entering Canada. Though players will not be permitted to completely avoid the mandated 14-day quarantine upon entering the country, they can immediately begin training at team facilities while keeping away from the public.

The league confirmed that 11 players tested positive for the coronavirus since Phase 2 of its return-to-play plan commenced June 8. Despite the recent wave of positive tests, the league reportedly isn't considering pushing back its July 10 start date for training camps.

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Despite a recent influx of positive COVID-19 cases among players and staff across the league, the NHL is not considering pushing back the tentative July 10 start date for training camps, sources told The Athletic's Michael Russo and James Mirtle.

On Friday, the Tampa Bay Lightning shut down their training facilities amid Phase 2 of the league's return-to-play plan after three players and two staff members tested positive.

Not long after, the NHL announced 11 players out of 200 administered tests league-wide have seen positive results since June 8 - the start date of Phase 2.

The current phase allows teams to host voluntary on- and off-ice training sessions at their home facilities for a maximum of six players. The opening of training camps for the 24 teams that qualified for the expanded playoffs will mark the start of Phase 3.

The NHL and players' association are yet to finalize agreements on the return-to-play plan. Among their biggest upcoming decisions is selecting two logistically viable hub cities that can safely host 12 teams along with staff and families.

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A one-of-a-kind Connor McDavid rookie card sold for a final bid of $113,176 on Friday in the Lelands Spring Classic Auction.

Bidding started at $2,500, and other versions of the 2015-16 Upper Deck "The Cup" rookie patch autograph card have sold for upward of $50,000. However, this iteration was 97 of 99, which matched McDavid's jersey number and increased the value significantly.

The seller, John from San Diego, came across the card by happenstance after being invited to a hockey card case break at a local collectible store.

"I'm recently retired after 30 years of being a carpenter. I had never really collected a card in my life. A friend of mine last year got me into breaking cards as a hobby and really enjoyed it," he told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

The card is likely to grow in value as McDavid continues his trajectory toward all-time-great status, but John had no issues with putting it up for auction right away.

"I don't really have an emotional attachment to the sport," he said. "It never really crossed my mind to hold on to it. If I put it in a shoebox in my closet, it's not doing anything. It would be better for someone else (to have it)."

McDavid is fresh off his fifth NHL season and ranked second in league scoring with 97 points in 64 contests. The 23-year-old already has two scoring titles and an MVP to his name, and his career 1.34 points-per-game rate ranks fifth all time among players with a minimum 300 games played.

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The 2019-20 NHL campaign remains on pause, but it's never too early to look ahead to the offseason. With that in mind, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating the best players who could be available in unrestricted free agency, whenever that occurs.

Forwards | Defensemen | Goaltenders

1. Robin Lehner

Age: 28
Current team: Vegas Golden Knights
2019-20 cap hit: $5 million

Lehner presents an interesting case. He was brought into Vegas in a surprise move to be a capable secondary option down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs alongside Marc-Andre Fleury. Lehner's numbers this season have been better than Fleury's, and it's feasible to envision a scenario in which the new guy outperforms his predecessor and takes over the net for a deep postseason run.

That said, Fleury has two more seasons on his contract at $7 million per year, and retaining Lehner, who has signed three consecutive one-year deals with three different teams, won't come cheap for cap-strapped Vegas. It will be tricky for the Golden Knights to retain both star goaltenders, and if Lehner winds up hitting the open market, he'll easily be the top option available for teams in need of a new starter.

2. Jacob Markstrom

Age: 30
Current team: Vancouver Canucks
2019-20 cap hit: $3.66 million

Canucks general manager Jim Benning expressed his desire to ink Markstrom to an extension numerous times throughout the season, and it's no wonder why. The 30-year-old Swede has emerged into a bona fide No. 1 goaltender, and was the rock of a young Vancouver team.

Markstrom will be coming off a knee injury if and when the season resumes, and if he can carry the Canucks to a playoff series win or two, he'll further bolster what's already a tremendous case for a raise on his current deal.

3. Braden Holtby

Age: 30
Current team: Washington Capitals
2019-20 cap hit: $6.1 million

After eight seasons as the Captials' No. 1, it looks as though the writing may be on the wall for Holtby in Washington. Perhaps the pressure of performing in a contract year got to him, but Holtby's numbers this season were terrible, and the Caps have a younger, cheaper option in Ilya Samsonov ready to take over if they let Holtby walk.

Despite such a down year, Holtby is still the biggest name on this list. The Stanley Cup champion and Vezina Trophy winner has a career .916 save percentage across 468 regular-season games to go with a sterling .928 clip in 89 playoff contests. He'll undoubtedly have plenty of suitors - likely on short-term deals - should he test the open waters in the eventual offseason.

4. Corey Crawford

Age: 35
Current team: Chicago Blackhawks
2019-20 cap hit: $6 million

After dealing Lehner at the deadline, Chicago's best bet in goal for the immediate future might be keeping Crawford. At 35, the veteran netminder is unlikely to fetch a long-term commitment from any team, and the Blackhawks should be comfortable sticking with a familiar face who previously led them to two Stanley Cups.

Injuries have been a persistent issue throughout Crawford's career, but he's proven to be reliable when healthy - even on a Chicago team that struggled defensively this season.

5. Anton Khudobin

Age: 34
Current team: Dallas Stars
2019-20 cap hit: $2.5 million

Khudobin has never carved out a No. 1 role throughout his NHL career, so he's not about to cash in on the open market, but in his defense, he's been one of the league's best safety nets over the past two years with the Stars.

Dallas very well might want to keep its potent one-two punch with Ben Bishop, but if the two sides fail to agree on a new contract, Khudobin could be an attractive asset to many teams looking to strengthen their options between the pipes.

6. Thomas Greiss

Age: 34
Current team: New York Islanders
2019-20 cap hit: $3.33 million

Greiss has operated in a platoon system with the Islanders over the last few seasons, but ultimately fell behind Semyon Varlamov on New York's depth chart in 2019-20. At one point, Greiss had won eight consecutive appearances, but a 7-8-4 run to follow it up hurt his chances of earning consistent starts under head coach Barry Trotz.

At 34, Greiss isn't going to sign anywhere to become a starter, but he's dependable enough to find a No. 2 role on a team in need. Over the past five seasons, he's posted a .915 save percentage in 193 games.

7. Cam Talbot

Age: 32
Current team: Calgary Flames
2019-20 cap hit: $2.75 million

Talbot is another guy who will likely have to settle for a backup job, but he at least boosted his stock with a strong bounce-back season with the Flames. After posting a combined .892 save percentage a year ago between stints with the Oilers and Flyers, Talbot boosted his numbers significantly in 2019-20. Whether he can keep that up remains to be seen, but chances are he bought himself another opportunity in free agency to prove it.

8. Mike Smith

Age: 38
Current team: Edmonton Oilers
2019-20 cap hit: $2 million

As one of the oldest goaltenders in the NHL, how much does Smith have left to give? The 14-year veteran has seen his numbers dip drastically over the past two seasons, but he offers experience and can provide leadership to a club in need. Smith's market of suitors likely won't be expansive, but if he has another full season in him, he's likely to find a match.

9. Aaron Dell

Age: 31
Current team: San Jose Sharks
2019-20 cap hit: $1.9 million

Dell is the youngest option in the bottom half of this list, but a small sample size of only 89 NHL starts makes his situation murky. He looked like he may be one of the league's premier backups with a .931 save percentage in 2016-17, but hasn't come close to matching that form since; he's owned negative goals saved above average numbers in each of the past two seasons. The Sharks are desperate for a shakeup in net, and perhaps a change of scenery will benefit Dell.

10. Brian Elliott

Age: 35
Current team: Philadelphia Flyers
2019-20 cap hit: $2 million

It's Carter Hart's time to shine in Philly, meaning Elliott will have to re-sign as a backup or try to find work elsewhere. Much like Smith's situation in Edmonton, Elliott is likely to decide his own fate. He owns a .912 career save percentage over 13 years in the NHL, and will need the right fit in order to suit up for another season. If a match isn't there, he may lean toward retirement.

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