NHL hopes players can return to team facilities in mid- to late-May

The NHL has not made any decision on when the suspended season can resume, but it is dropping hints that games may be played as early as June.

The season was paused March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Flyers had 13 regular-season games left, and all teams had between 11 and 14 games remaining.

On Wednesday night, the league and the NHL Players Association issued a joint statement, saying no timelines have been set for a possible return.

There were, however, glimpses of optimism in the statement.

While the league and the NHLPA said it remained “undetermined” when players would be allowed to return to small-group activities at clubs’ training facilities, they said they believe they might return at some point in mid- to late-May.

The NHL has said it would need a three-week training camp before games could resume without fans in arenas.

In the statement, the league and NHLPA said players can soon return “provided the conditions continue to trend favorable -- and subject to potential competitive concerns as between disparately situated markets."

If the season does return, all games might be played at four still-to-be-determined NHL arenas, the league has said.

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault, in a conference call with reporters Wednesday, didn’t want to speculate on when the NHL might return, saying he would “leave it to the experts to decide.”

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Vigneault said he was confident he and his veteran coaching staff could put something together in training camp that would be “very efficient for the players, very efficient to get our team ready” for the stretch run and the playoffs.

The Flyers (41-21-7) had won nine of their last 10 games -- they were the league’s hottest team -- when the season was suspended seven weeks ago.