The NHL players are back in their teams after the corona break and are preparing for the North American ice hockey league to start again on August 1.

The security measures are strict, the players must be tested for covid-19 every day and may not meet their families until during the semifinal and final game.

Something that Lehner - goalkeeper in the quarterfinals of Vegas - had a hard time accepting.

- I was quite against the league and the players' union (NHLPA) when it came to the fact that we are not allowed to take our families with us from the beginning, he says to The Athletic according to Aftonbladet.

- I have had many discussions with them (the league and the NHLPA) about it. I think that's the most important thing. It's not just about the players 'mental health, but also about the families'. Many players have wives and small children, and we will leave them at home in quarantine. It will be just as tough for them, he continues.

At the same time, Lehner believes that the start of the NHL can be a healthy injection for many.

- I think the debate is so marked by covid-19 that many other issues are put aside. I think it is important for many people's mental health to have something to follow, to be able to plan something for the next day and for families to see some type of sport, says the 28-year-old, who himself has had problems with mental illness.

Vegas' first match is against Dallas on the night of August 4, Swedish time.

Clip: NHL's plan - then the playoffs start (May 27, 2020)

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be turned on to play video

Read more about browser support

The browser is not supported

SVT does not support playback in your browser. We therefore recommend that you switch to another browser.

Read more about browser support