NHL Season Suspended

[Wilbur]

9 hours ago, kloubek said:

I am not sure how they would expect to keep the players locked down so tightly as to not expose them. There are plenty of staff in and around NHL teams. Once someone (player, coach, training staff) on a team gets it, or even an arena worker, announcer, support staff gets it, havoc ensues and could likely eliminate one if not both teams from contention.

 

Even without fansBrad Marchand, is this even feasible?  Quick, complete and regular testing would be paramount.

FITY 

 

Could you imagine Brad Marchand pulling off his licking stunt during a time like this?  They would have to come up with a 2 minute minor for lack of social distancing just for him!

[lmm]

7 hours ago, DeNiro said:

I hope not.

 

It would be like canned laughter. Just weird.

"Ref, You suck!"

[DeNiro]

17 hours ago, kloubek said:

I am not sure how they would expect to keep the players locked down so tightly as to not expose them. There are plenty of staff in and around NHL teams. Once someone (player, coach, training staff) on a team gets it, or even an arena worker, announcer, support staff gets it, havoc ensues and could likely eliminate one if not both teams from contention.

 

Even without fans, is this even feasible?  Quick, complete and regular testing would be paramount.

The only way it returns is with regular testing of all players and staff.

 

Players, refs and coaches would essentially be in quarantine until games and would have limited to no interaction with the public.

 

If they’re playing in cities that are down to like 3 cases a day the risk is pretty minimal. I would say their risk would be even less considering the resources they’ll have and monitoring going on.

 

At the end of the day there’s 400-500 million dollars in revenue to be had for advertising deals during the playoffs. That’s pretty good motivation right there.

 

If there’s a way to do it that’s safe and keeps the integrity of the game I’m sure they will.

[ABNuck]

I'd say it's time to bite the bullet so that this mess doesn't spill over (delayed draft, delayed start to next season, delayed expansion draft...continual ripple effect). My proposal:

 

Start the playoffs now with top 8 teams...top 8 teams right now are also the same 8 teams with the best winning percentage (BOS / STL / COL / TBL / WSH / PHI / PIT / VGK)...in all likelihood these are the 8 teams that would stand the best chance to run through to 2nd round anyways.

Go with neutral sites: Saskatoon SK & Grand Forks ND for Round 1 at least (can revert to team arenas if lockdown gets removed for RD2 / RD3).

Round 1 is Best-of-five (seed teams 1 thru 8), round 2 & 3 best-of-seven. Award the SC this year...if we can start this tournament by May 1st then round 1 would be done by May 10th, round 2 would be May 13th to 26th. SCF runs May 30th to June 12th max.

 

Hold draft lottery on June 15th (bottom 10 teams in lottery for #1 pick, bottom 15 teams in lottery for #2 pick, bottom 20 teams for #3, then everyone else falls into place). Hold the virtual draft (if needed) on June 23rd.

 

Let's be done with this mess sooner rather than later so that we can all move forward with 2020-21 season as normal.

Edited April 17, 2020 by ABNuck

[Phat Fingers]

On 3/12/2020 at 9:34 PM, drummer4now said:

This virus has similarities to the common flu in terms of contagiousnes. IMO follow similar precautions and steps as if you had the flu. 

No need to grow your own garden lol and not eat food from the public etc..

 

Obviously if you feel sick or ill follow the common sense steps etc.. 

 

 

I hope everyone is well and safe during this upheaval.  

 

 

Acceptance is a hard journey.  

 

No panic is my prediction, just education and a solid knowledge of the healthcare system from a disaster management and first responder POV.  

 

I started this Pandemic at acceptance. 

 

It was a conscious decision and plan from the moment China started shutting down a city the size of Chicago.  Then a province, then other countries started shutting borders when not at war.  

 

It is what it is.  Accepting that is what we all need to do.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BertaNuck]

I fear nhl starting in empty arenas and plays reduced to best of 3 

 

canucks play amazing and win the cup 

 

how ever it is never accepted by media and Canucks get shafted for many years

[mll]

 

[-Vintage Canuck-]

 

[250Integra]

18 minutes ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

No fans in the stands to watch our Canucks raise the cup? dang!

[ruilin96]

Well, all I know is that if and when the next Canucks home game where they allow fans to attend, I am going to that one.

[lmm]

7 hours ago, -Vintage Canuck- said:

 

and then there is the border

multiple borders as many euros went home

[DeNiro]

14 minutes ago, lmm said:

and then there is the border

multiple borders as many euros went home

All it would take is an exemption for professional athletes.

[mll]

 

[mll]

 

[theo5789]

23 hours ago, mll said:

 

Figures that the Florida Panthers president is the representative discussing playing games with limited to no fans. Lots of experience there.

[mll]

NHL.com summarised the key points of Bettman's interview with Sportsnet earlier this week (video posted above):

https://www.nhl.com/news/commissioner-gary-bettman-on-scenario-to-resume-nhl-season/c-316699898

 

As many as four NHL arenas would host three games each per day without fans in one of the scenarios the League is considering to finish the season, Commissioner Gary Bettman told Sportsnet on Wednesday.

 

The NHL, which paused the season March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, also floated the idea to the general managers of holding the 2020 NHL Draft in June before the season ends.

"It was a trial balloon," Commissioner Bettman said of the draft proposal. "No decision has been made. And I said as we were getting some feedback, 'We don't live in a world of perfect anymore. We're going to have to make adjustments.'

"Ideally from our standpoint -- and it would resolve a lot of issues -- would be if we could complete the regular season, even if it's on a centralized basis, and then go into the [Stanley Cup Playoffs] the way we normally play them.

"That would be ideal. But that's, again, one of the numerous models we're looking at, and if we can't do ideal, if we can't do perfect, we're going to have to figure out what's next to perfect."

 

The NHL has decided against playing in non-NHL arenas at neutral sites because League arenas are best equipped to handle its needs if it decides to centralize games.

"We can't play in a small college rink in the middle of a smaller community, because if we're going to be centralized, we need the back of the house that NHL arenas provide, whether it's multiple locker rooms, whether it's the technology, the procedures, the boards and glass, the video replay, the broadcasting facilities," Commissioner Bettman said.

 

The NHL would need four NHL-caliber locker rooms in each arena, because if it plays three games per day in one arena, it would need to use appropriate sanitizing procedures as teams move in and out, the Commissioner said.

Commissioner Bettman stressed the number of cities and the locations have not been decided. The NHL is modeling to make sure it is prepared for any eventuality.

"Maybe it'll be two cities," the Commissioner said. "It's not something that we can predict right at this moment. But this is part of the contingencies. It doesn't necessarily have to be by division, although the centralization may be by division.

"But the particular location could be anywhere that isn't a hot spot and has what we need both in terms of the arena and having practice facilities, because if you bring in seven or eight clubs to a particular facility and you're playing lots of games on a regular basis without travel, there does need to be ice for practice."

 

The NHL has recommended players and staff self-quarantine through April 30. The first step toward resuming the season would be for players to work out at team facilities. The next step would be a training camp, which Commissioner Bettman said, based on a conversation with players and the NHL Players' Association, would need to be at least three weeks.

 

Commissioner Bettman said the NHL felt no pressure to be the first major North American sports league to resume its season.

"This isn't a race," the Commissioner said. "The stakes are too important. … While some of them may have been able to work out in terms of physical strength over the last few weeks, the fact is, none of our guys really have been on skates. We're going to have to make sure that they're in game-ready condition, because we don't want to put them on the ice and risk injury and their careers. So we're going to need time to come back right, and when we come back, it'll be having done the right things."

 

The idea of holding the draft before the season ends presents problems, such as determining the draft order and what to do with certain contingent draft picks. But waiting months to hold the draft would present another set of problems.

"That's why you've got to look at all of the options, balance them and try to make a good judgment, and we're doing it with the feedback from our clubs, obviously," Commissioner Bettman said. "We're not sitting around on our own saying, 'This is what we're doing, period.'"

 

The NHL is also listening to the authorities.

"The decision ultimately will be made by medical people and people who are in governments at all different levels, so we're not going to try and do anything that flies in the face of what we're being told is appropriate," the Commissioner said. 

"… But clearly, we can play into the summer. Clearly, we can play next season, which we intend to do in its entirety, starting later. And so, with a lot of timing options, we have a great deal of flexibility, and we're not going to rush anything. We're not going to do anything that's crazy. We're going to try and do something, under the circumstances at the time, that is sensible."

 

[BCNeil]

12 hours ago, mll said:

 

"… But clearly, we can play into the summer. Clearly, we can play next season, which we intend to do in its entirety, starting later. And so, with a lot of timing options, we have a great deal of flexibility, and we're not going to rush anything. We're not going to do anything that's crazy. We're going to try and do something, under the circumstances at the time, that is sensible."

 

This is new.  Earlier, they seemed to be drawing the line at changing next years start date.  To accommodate this year. 

[Green Building]

11 minutes ago, BCNeil said:

This is new.  Earlier, they seemed to be drawing the line at changing next years start date.  To accommodate this year. 

What I heard Bettman say at a press conference 3 or so weeks ago was that he was 100% unwavering on next season's length (therefore all 82 games; not shortened), but nothing on the start date.  

 

This latest quote of his follows just that.

[alt kilgore]

On 4/16/2020 at 8:57 AM, aGENT said:

I wonder if they'll pipe in crowd noise through the PA system? 

 

On 4/16/2020 at 9:33 AM, DeNiro said:

I hope not.

 

It would be like canned laughter. Just weird.

I had a thought that maybe some savvy geek could put together a system whereby Canuck fans, or any team playoff fans, could download an app specially built.  Fans could make noise, cheer when there's a goal for sure, into their iphones, and the sound would be sent to Rogers arena via the internet. And then, like a massive multi person Zoom, only strictly audio, the sounds are amalgamated and transmitted loudly through the stadium speakers.  Even if some fans are delayed a few seconds depending on how fast they get the TV signal, it would still be close. Fun to see if a chant could be made that way.

 

No one steal this. I'm going to be rich I tell ya! 

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, kilgore said:

 

I had a thought that maybe some savvy geek could put together a system whereby Canuck fans, or any team playoff fans, could download an app specially built.  Fans could make noise, cheer when there's a goal for sure, into their iphones, and the sound would be sent to Rogers arena via the internet. And then, like a massive multi person Zoom, only strictly audio, the sounds are amalgamated and transmitted loudly through the stadium speakers.  Even if some fans are delayed a few seconds depending on how fast they get the TV signal, it would still be close. Fun to see if a chant could be made that way.

 

No one steal this. I'm going to be rich I tell ya! 

Good luck!