Report: Canadian teams expect good news about federal quarantine policy

The Canadian clubs in cities being considered as hubs for the NHL's eventual 24-team playoff may soon get some good news about updates to Canada's 14-day quarantine for people entering the country.

The Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs are expecting to hear as early as the end of the week that the federal government's quarantine restrictions will be amended for players returning to Canada, according to Sportsnet's Mark Spector. While the rules may not be entirely lifted for players, sources told Spector the government is considering "extending the quarantine area" to include team facilities.

As it stands, federal law in Canada mandates that any person entering the country must self-isolate and quarantine for 14 days. This rule has made players wary of crossing the border and returning to their team's city because they wouldn't be able to train normally for two weeks. It's also led Canadian teams to look into holding their training camps in the United States.

The Canucks, Oilers, and Maple Leafs were reportedly told to expect news about the federal quarantine policy last week, but they're still waiting.

The NHL is still deciding which two cities to use as hubs if play eventually resumes. While the league has expressed interest in using at least one Canadian city, the quarantine rule has loomed as a major obstacle.