The Nashville Predators will kick off their quest for the Stanley Cup, as part of the modified Return to Play plan, on August 2, facing off against the Arizona Coyotes. The season, which currently has the Stanley Cup finals beginning on September 22, means less time to compete for the top spot, which makes it an especially challenging time for the Preds.

“If there is an asterisk [next to winning the Stanley Cup in 2020], it’s because it’s a harder process to win, not easier,” Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis told the Nashville Post.

“I kind of agree [with Ellis],” defenseman Mattias Ekholm added. “In a normal run, you know what you can expect. You’re home for a bit and you can still be with your family…on the ice too, just to get your body ready in the summer. It’s nothing that we’re usually faced with. So, there’s a lot going into this and I think [Ellis] is onto something there; it’s going to be really hard.”

24 teams will begin fighting for the Stanley Cup, with that number down to 16 by August 9, and teams reseeded after the first two rounds, instead of using the traditional playoff bracket. Players and coaches will also be quarantined in either Toronto or Edmonton, in what is being called the “NHL bubble,” keeping players away from the general public when not playing, and away from their family and loved ones, as a precautionary measure.

Although the season poses its own set of challenges, the Return to Play does give some teams a shot at the Stanley Cup that they otherwise wouldn’t have had.

“A few of the teams have a chance they probably wouldn’t have gotten,” goaltender Pekka Rinne said. “That makes it interesting. At the same time, there’s teams like Boston who were doing really well. I don’t think they have the same advantage [that they] would have in a normal situation.”

The Predators training camp began on July 13. Keep track of updates by visiting their website.