As the NHL entertains the multitude of scenarios under which play could eventually resume, players are finding creative ways to connect with fans as all 31 teams stay idle.



There have been pictures of newly adopted puppies, news of newborns and glimpses into players’ day-to-day activities, which include their means and methods of staying in peak physical shape.



Some have been more conventional, others unorthodox (see: Nico Hischier’s pushups-to-backflip maneuver). But as players hunker down and ponder what a protracted layoff can mean, their physical health will not be the only concern.



When will play resume? What will that look like? What risks might be associated with returning to the game for the players? Their families? The fans, arena workers and support staff that make it all possible?



And there’s another important question to consider: What impact will all of this have on players’ mental health and emotional...