Philadelphia Flyers: Play to resume in August

With everything officially signed off on, the Flyers will return to play at the beginning of August.

We now have even more official dates. The NHL and NHLPA voted to accept the new CBA and Return to Play protocols. That was the last big hurdle to get the hockey season running again. And for the Flyers, that will start on August 2nd.

After holding a formal training camp beginning on Monday, the team will then be traveling to Toronto on July 26th. Staying at Hotel X, they will be sharing the space with the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Flyers will be facing off against three of those teams during the round-robin phase. Those games will take place on August 2nd, 6th, and 9th. And the Flyers could take on the Penguins in the first official round as well.

The hotels were reportedly decided by looking at points-percentages among the teams. The remaining Eastern Conference teams will be be staying at the Fairmont Royal York.

The Western Conference teams will be split between two hotels in Edmonton. It will certainly be a different experience for everyone involved.

The league made the decision to move both hub cities to Canada recently, despite Las Vegas originally being a front runner. Places like Chicago and Los Angeles were also under consideration.

What was never under consideration was who would be allowed in the building. These games will be played without fans, something the Flyers and everyone else will have to get used to. But as Kevin Hayes recently said, they’re playing for a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

"“It’s definitely going to be interesting with no fans and kind of being locked in a bubble, but that’s why we play the game. We play to win the Stanley Cup and this is just another chance to do that.”"

So before the Flyers head off to Toronto, they will return to the Voorhees Skate Zone to prepare. Most players have returned in the last few weeks and have ramped up their training. And by the looks for them, they are ready for a lengthy playoff run.

Starting with Boston, the Flyers will play the three other top teams from the Eastern Conference. Those games will determine their opponent for the first round of the playoffs.

If all goes well, that will begin on August 11th. That is when we can officially see the Flyers fighting for a chance to bring the Stanley Cup to Philadelphia. And this looks like the group that could make it happen.