Thursday Habs Headlines: Dates revealed for playoffs, NHL Draft, and start of 2020-21 season

Montreal Canadiens news and notes

• Key dates were revealed for not only the NHL’s return, but the off-season and 2020-21 season start. [TSN]
• The main highlights:

July 24: Teams travel to hub cities
July 30: Start of qualification round
September 20: Stanley Cup Final begins
October 2 (at latest): Stanley Cup awarded
October 6 (approx.): NHL Draft
October 9, or seven days after championship: Free agency period opens
November 17: Opening of 2020 training camps
December 1: 2020-21 season begins

• Ben Chiarot and Dale Weise were back on the ice yesterday, bringing Montreal’s pool up to 18 skaters and three goalies. [Canadiens.com]
• The Organizational Depth Chart is keeping track of who is back in action, and who is yet to return. [EOTP]
• Michael McNiven was the star of yesterday’s activity:

• See what else they were up to on Wednesday:

• The circuitous route new Laval Rocket signee Samuel Vigneault took to a professional career. [La Presse]
• After signing a contract expecting to play early in the fall (if not sooner), will Alexander Romanov’s plans now change? [Journal de Montreal]

Around the league and elsewhere

• In news that James Duthie will be smiling about all summer, there will be no courting period ahead of free agency, so all conversations between players and prospective teams won’t happen until free agency begins:

• Top draft prospect Cole Perfetti discusses his future as an NHL player. [TSN]
• The New Jersey Devils are expected to announce Lindy Ruff as their next head coach. [All About the Jersey]