Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl is back in Minnesota, returning a week or two after the season was paused. He made the decision to drive there as talks of the Canada-United States border closing was ramping up.
"It's been good. Obviously, it's been boring at times but everyone is kind of in the same boat there and we're just trying to ride it out," Holl told reporters on a conference call Tuesday. "Hopefully, we'll get back to normal soon and get back to playing and finish the season off."
Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that any NHL players entering the country will have to quarantine for 14 days. Holl said there are tentative plans regarding returning to Canada, but he's waiting until things are more definitive.
"The general consensus of American players is that we'll wait until we have a concrete plan before we go back there because you never know if you go back there and you're sitting around for another month or two," he said. "Being in Minnesota, once we have a plan, I'll hop back in the car that day basically and drive back and start the process and hopefully, I'll be good to go."
The Tonka Bay, Minn., native mentioned that Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has done a good job updating players on the latest news regarding a resumption to the season — even if there is nothing new to report.
"He's keeping us up-to-date and obviously I've been paying close attention in the [National Hockey League's Players' Association] calls and I've been in touch with some of the guys on the Return to Play committee, so just trying to get a better idea of where we headed," Holl said. "It seems like other sports are starting to kind of open up and set dates to return but I hope that we won't be far behind. I'm optimistic and I'm ready to go at a moment's notice."
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After making his debut a day after his 26th birthday on Jan. 31, 2018, Holl played in 13 career NHL games tallying one assist entering the 2019-20 season. This season, he has played in 68 contests chipping in 18 points and becoming a mainstay on the Maple Leafs blue line as they dealt with numerous injuries throughout the season.
"Obviously at the beginning of the year, getting a lit bit of an opportunity was positive and then I was able to get my foot in the door a little bit," he noted. "As the season went on, I started accumulating more responsibility so that was good and I'm just looking to build on that."
Holl said he never doubted whether he could play at the NHL-level, but was questioning whether he would be given the chance to prove himself.
"There's a difference knowing that you can and knowing that you're going to do it or that you will do it or that you'll get the chance," the defenseman reflected. "There was some doubt in you never know if it's going to happen but there's never any doubt that I could play at this level.
"I knew I was good enough and I had come up and played two games and some in 2018 and I was playing top rank because I was playing with the [American Hockey League's] Marlies and I played the exact same way at the NHL-level. I'm like, 'wow, this is easy.' Obviously, the NHL has a way of humbling you and it can affect your confidence in certain ways, but I think the short answer is no. I never doubted that I could but you just never know if you get a chance."