The sprint to the NHLB次元官网网址檚 56-game finish line started in earnest Sunday.

The seven teams that missed out on the leagueB次元官网网址檚 summer restart to a 2019-20 season brought to a screeching halt in March by the COVID-19 pandemic opened training camps Thursday ahead of the new campaign.

The other 24 clubs, including six from Canada, that took part in the expanded post-season inside the Edmonton and Toronto bubbles got going with testing and physicals to close out the weekend before hitting the ice Monday.

And with the scheduleB次元官网网址檚 Jan. 13 curtain-raisers fast-approaching B次元官网网址� plus no exhibition schedule B次元官网网址� time is precious and the runway short.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be different,B次元官网网址� Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said on a video conference call with reporters Sunday. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got to learn on the fly, weB次元官网网址檝e got to learn quick. ItB次元官网网址檚 going to be different for everybody. ItB次元官网网址檚 the times we live in.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a little tricky,B次元官网网址� Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin added. B次元官网网址淏ut weB次元官网网址檙e in the same boat as every other team.B次元官网网址�

Because of border restrictions related to non-essential travel, the NHL has rejigged its divisions for the shortened 2020-21 season, including a seven-team Canadian circuit that should present plenty of mouth-watering matchups.

B次元官网网址淚 remember the last 48-game season (in 2012-13) when you woke up one day and you had 15 games left,B次元官网网址� Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving said. B次元官网网址淚t just goes by. You play every night.B次元官网网址�

That one-time-only North Division will begin in empty arenas B次元官网网址� a handful of U.S. franchises, meanwhile, have indicated they will have some fans in attendance from the start B次元官网网址� but thatB次元官网网址檚 unlikely to turn the temperature down with teams often playing the same opponent two and three times in quick succession, and up to 10 occasions total over 116 days of action.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 looking forward to it,B次元官网网址� McDavid said. B次元官网网址淎n all-Canadian divisionB次元官网网址檚 exciting. ItB次元官网网址檚 never happened before. You look at some of the rivalries, the matchups, it can make for a pretty exciting division.

B次元官网网址淛ust about anyone can win the division, but with that being said, three teams arenB次元官网网址檛 going to make the playoffs.B次元官网网址�

While the NHL has said it believes it has an agreement on health and safety protocols to play games in Canada, the B.C. and Alberta governments are the only provinces with teams to publicly announce a thumbs up for the puck to drop.

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The Ottawa Senators, who were the only Canadian club not included in the NHLB次元官网网址檚 summer bubbles, have already been on the ice, but the other six situated north of the border are about to get their first looks at a number of new faces.

And there wonB次元官网网址檛 be any easing into things.

B次元官网网址淚n years past when youB次元官网网址檝e had a 21-day camp B次元官网网址� you sort of build up and build your way through camp until right to the end,B次元官网网址� Calgary captain Mark Giordano said. B次元官网网址淲e know that starting (Monday) that on-ice session, the attention to detail has to be really bang on.

B次元官网网址淵ou have to force yourself as a professional to make sure that every little play and practice, every little pass means something, and youB次元官网网址檙e sharp and youB次元官网网址檙e crisp.B次元官网网址�

Among the biggest moves made by CanadaB次元官网网址檚 NHL teams this off-season, the Toronto Maple Leafs added Joe Thornton and Wayne Simmonds up front to go along with T.J. Brodie and Zach Bogosian on defence, while the Canadiens acquired forwards Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli and Corey Perry, and also brought in blue-liner Joel Edmundson and backup goalie Jake Allen.

B次元官网网址淓very time you start a new season, youB次元官网网址檙e always excited,B次元官网网址� Bergevin said. B次元官网网址淚 like what weB次元官网网址檝e done, (but) you can put anything you want on paper. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter until you start playing games.B次元官网网址�

Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, whose team sits as the betting favourite to win the North, said his teamB次元官网网址檚 focus during camp will be on its details following a string of post-season failures, including during the summer qualifying round.

B次元官网网址淕oing back to (the 2016-17 season) all the way through last year, weB次元官网网址檝e had stretches that have hindered our ability to position ourselves as strongly as possible going into the playoffs,B次元官网网址� Dubas said. B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙e focused on right now on Day 1 of camp is building the foundation thatB次元官网网址檚 going to serve us in the regular season.

B次元官网网址淚f we donB次元官网网址檛 do that, then weB次元官网网址檙e not going to be in a position to have the success that we all would like.B次元官网网址�

The rebuilding SenatorsB次元官网网址� new faces include forwards Alex Galchenyuk, Evgenii Dadonov and Austin Watson, along with defenceman Erik Gudbranson and goalie Matt Murray. Fans in the nationB次元官网网址檚 capital are also excited to see what Tim Stuetzle B次元官网网址� the No. 3 pick at the 2020 draft B次元官网网址� can bring after his impressive offensive performance for Germany at the world junior hockey championship.

The Winnipeg Jets brought centre Paul Stastny, an integral part of their run to the 2018 Western Conference final, back into the fold, but questions remain regarding the future of sniper Patrik Laine, whose agent has reportedly said a trade would be best for all parties, and the status of restricted free agent forward Jack Roslovic.

Calgary added goalie Jacob Markstrom and defenceman Chris Tanev in free agency from the Vancouver Canucks, while EdmontonB次元官网网址檚 biggest moves were the signings of defenceman Tyson Barrie and centre Kyle Turris, and the return of winger and 2016 fourth overall pick Jesse Puljujarvi from Europe.

B次元官网网址淏ased on what IB次元官网网址檝e gone through before in a lockout-shortened schedule, the games are going to come fast and furious,B次元官网网址� Flames head coach Geoff Ward said. B次元官网网址淩est is going to be so critical. Depth is really, really necessary.B次元官网网址�

McDavid said itB次元官网网址檚 no secret what Edmonton will key on after a promising 2019-20 regular season was soured by a disappointing showing in the bubble.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think we have a problem scoring goals,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 keeping the puck out of our net. Lots has been made about that. No oneB次元官网网址檚 hiding their head in the sand here. Everyone understands where weB次元官网网址檙e at.B次元官网网址�

The Vancouver Canucks, meanwhile, added Braden Holtby to replace Markstrom, and Nate Schmidt on the back end after their young core took a big step last season.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be an exciting year,B次元官网网址� GM Jim Benning said. B次元官网网址淕ames are going to be intense B次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be playoff-style.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a sprint.B次元官网网址�

One that, after a long wait and plenty of uncertainty, is right around the corner.

-With files from Gemma Karstens-Smith in Vancouver and Donna Spencer in Calgary.

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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press