Is it possible to do a whole season in the bubbles?

[stawns]

3 hours ago, UKNuck96 said:

From a mental health standpoint I don’t see it. It’s not just about the not seeing family, but being confined to limited areas (hotels and training areas) and being stuck with the same guys 24/7 for months and months on end with no respite and no clear end goal.

 

Also the players Are human for that length of time rules will get broken and the bubble concept will most likely fail 

Small, round robin tournaments that last two weeks, them give them a few weeks off to be with families and train, then back to the phased in/quarantine approach we've seen here for another tournament etc.  Maybe have 4 round robin tournaments and end with the same set up as they had for the play ins and playoffs this year

 

Edited August 12, 2020 by stawns

[DonaldBrashear]

No. There is already plans in place to have fans in attendance in a social distanced manner. Ticketmaster has software to allow seats to be booked using social distancing. No reason not to have fans in attendance. The arenas will be about 1/3 full.

[coolboarder]

No owner would want a season with bubble and how do you suppose they get revenue seeing 81 million of cap for next two seasons?  TV deal and that's all they would get and it's not huge sum of money.  It's gate revenue is their major source of income for owners.  It is either, operation is suspended and return of play would be a divisional play only and player agree to prorated salary over a shorten season is the option I can see right now.  

[King Heffy]

3 hours ago, DonaldBrashear said:

No. There is already plans in place to have fans in attendance in a social distanced manner. Ticketmaster has software to allow seats to be booked using social distancing. No reason not to have fans in attendance. The arenas will be about 1/3 full.

Canadian government said no to the Blue Jays being able to play in the regular format.  Zero chance an exception is granted for all 7 Canadian teams unless the US figures out a way to clean up the mess down there.

[VegasCanuck]

1 hour ago, coolboarder said:

No owner would want a season with bubble and how do you suppose they get revenue seeing 81 million of cap for next two seasons?  TV deal and that's all they would get and it's not huge sum of money.  It's gate revenue is their major source of income for owners.  It is either, operation is suspended and return of play would be a divisional play only and player agree to prorated salary over a shorten season is the option I can see right now.  

This is why its 20% escrow next season. It won’t completely cover the shortfall, but they built measures into the new CBza for this eventuality.

[BPA]

Maybe its time to encourage sales in merchandise if owners don't get gate revenues?

 

I mean people are saving some cash not going to games.   Surely they can afford a couple of jerseys.

 

That's my plan.  Been wanting a new jersey.  Thinking of Bo, Boeser, EP, or Huggy.

[UKNuck96]

1 hour ago, BPA said:

Maybe its time to encourage sales in merchandise if owners don't get gate revenues?

 

I mean people are saving some cash not going to games.   Surely they can afford a couple of jerseys.

 

That's my plan.  Been wanting a new jersey.  Thinking of Bo, Boeser, EP, or Huggy.

It’s no where near enough as I would imagine the corp hospitality is a huge money earner, especially in places like Vancouver. 

[King Heffy]

4 hours ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

Temporary re-alignment.  A division of Canadian teams, vs. three divisions of American teams.  No inter-divisional play with the Canadian teams until the playoffs, for which it'll go back to the hub-city approach.

 

And yes, that means Canadian teams will only at most have 4 teams present in the playoffs under this scheme.

Canucks would be fighting against this hard due to the time zone difference.  We would be at a huge disadvantage.

[Patel Bure]

Edmonton-Calgary-Toronto-Ottawa:  
 

I would use these as the four hub cities and would proceed as follows:

 

1) NHL season commences in January for a half season (42 games)

2) Western Conference Teams only play Western Conference teams and Eastern Conference teams only play Eastern Conference teams until the Cup finals.  All Western teams play in Edmonton and Calgary while all Eastern teams play in Toronto and Ottawa.  

3) No all-star game.

4) 8 teams are assigned to each hub city (one group gets 7).  

5) You play each team in your group twice + five extra games against five random teams (preferably against divisional opponents).

6) After the 21st game, 4 teams go to the other hub city and swap with places with 4 other teams.   Interprovincial travel eliminates the need to self-quarantine. .  
7) When playoffs hit, Edmonton and Toronto become the hub cities just as they are now.

8) Players live in 5 star hotels that are connected to the arenas (I.e. JW Marriot in Edmonton).  

 

Obviously, there are tons of other logistics that would need to be sorted out, but that is what I would attempt to do.   

 

[UKNuck96]

Just now, DarkIndianRises said:

Edmonton-Calgary-Toronto-Ottawa:  
 

I would use these as the four hub cities and would proceed as follows:

 

1) NHL season commences in January for a half season (42 games)

2) Western Conference Teams only play Western Conference teams and Eastern Conference teams only play Eastern Conference teams until the Cup finals.  All Western teams play in Edmonton and Calgary while all Eastern teams play in Toronto and Ottawa.  

3) No all-star game.

4) 8 teams are assigned to each hub city (one group gets 7).  

5) You play each team in your group twice + five extra games against five random teams (preferably against divisional opponents).

6) After the 21st game, 4 teams go to the other hub city and swap with places with 4 other teams.   Interprovincial travel eliminates the need to self-quarantine. .  
7) When playoffs hit, Edmonton and Toronto become the hub cities just as they are now.

8) Players live in 5 star hotels that are connected to the arenas (I.e. JW Marriot in Edmonton).  

 

Obviously, there are tons of other logistics that would need to be sorted out, but that is what I would attempt to do.   

 

42 games over how many days - the running into a playoff - how long will players be isolated from family, friends and confined to hotels - will turn into the shining 

[Patel Bure]

5 minutes ago, UKNuck96 said:

42 games over how many days - the running into a playoff - how long will players be isolated from family, friends and confined to hotels - will turn into the shining 

Very true, which is why I hope that these players can be allowed to stay in 5 star hotels so that they can have access to all amenities, etc., within the hotel (shopping, gyms, great food, etc.).
 

Again, I have no clue how things could work logistically.   
 

We also have to keep in mind that all of this would take place in January and so you’d have to think that things will be a lot better by this time, even if things aren’t quite normalized.   I have no idea how things should play out or will play out.

[UKNuck96]

1 minute ago, DarkIndianRises said:

Very true, which is why I hope that these players can be allowed to stay in 5 star hotels so that they can have access to all amenities, etc., within the hotel (shopping, gyms, great food, etc.).
 

Again, I have no clue how things could work logistically.   
 

We also have to keep in mind that all of this would take place in January and so you’d have to think that things will be a lot better by this time, even if things aren’t quite normalized.   I have no idea how things should play out or will play out.

Tbh unless there is a vaccine it will probably be worse at that point due to seasonal pick up.

 

logistically it could be done, and I’m. It saying it cannot. For me I cannot see the NHLPA sanctioning it, not it being good for player welfare or mental health.

 

a lot of the speculation on how it could be done seems to forget that players are humans and not machines  

[CanadianRugby]

On 8/11/2020 at 11:49 AM, VegasCanuck said:

Why would this make any difference if you don't have fans in the building anyway?

Would NHL players want to live in Edmonton for the whole season?  If you leave the bubble for breaks, what % of players contract Covid?  I'd be shocked if the NHLPA would agree to anything like this. 

[IBatch]

31 minutes ago, CanadianRugby said:

Would NHL players want to live in Edmonton for the whole season?  If you leave the bubble for breaks, what % of players contract Covid?  I'd be shocked if the NHLPA would agree to anything like this. 

The played came back for the playoffs with a lot of uncertainty.    I’m also doubtful anything resembling a real season like we are used to will occur,  but think they might try.   It’s anyone’s guess at this point.   

[VegasCanuck]

5 hours ago, CanadianRugby said:

Would NHL players want to live in Edmonton for the whole season?  If you leave the bubble for breaks, what % of players contract Covid?  I'd be shocked if the NHLPA would agree to anything like this. 

They already did agree to this. The NHL is making significant compromises to keep players safe, its limiting income.

 

If it comes down to skipping a season or having 4 to 6 bubbles established, I believe that the players will go willingly, but not without built in breaks.

 

There's always a risk that one of them catches COVID, but they are supposed to be in lock down, same as everyone else, in an attempt to limit spread. That part isn't changing anytime soon, so what's the difference?

[stawns]

On 8/11/2020 at 7:26 PM, DonaldBrashear said:

No. There is already plans in place to have fans in attendance in a social distanced manner. Ticketmaster has software to allow seats to be booked using social distancing. No reason not to have fans in attendance. The arenas will be about 1/3 full.

no reason?  The virus is running uncontrolled in the US and they are having 1000+ people die everyday.  They're not having a season down there, especially not with fans in seats

[stawns]

22 hours ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

Temporary re-alignment.  A division of Canadian teams, vs. three divisions of American teams.  No inter-divisional play with the Canadian teams until the playoffs, for which it'll go back to the hub-city approach.

 

And yes, that means Canadian teams will only at most have 4 teams present in the playoffs under this scheme.

the NHLPA won't allow players to play in the US right now, imo.

[stawns]

On 8/13/2020 at 8:13 AM, BPA said:

Maybe its time to encourage sales in merchandise if owners don't get gate revenues?

 

I mean people are saving some cash not going to games.   Surely they can afford a couple of jerseys.

 

That's my plan.  Been wanting a new jersey.  Thinking of Bo, Boeser, EP, or Huggy.

I think most people are anticipting periodic lockdowns and are probably saving money.  

[coolboarder]

Unlikely to hold a whole season in bubble.  They might do a regular season without fans with normal travel but they might do the playoffs in one city as a bubble.  No way they will not be allowed to see their families but with playoff bubble, it would allow them to go and see their family on regular schedule until the playoffs.  This will allow the teams to start their games early at 5pm so that visitor team can fly out to other city on an optimal time rather than arriving at a hotel at 2am.  Most people would come home early from work at 5pm or so.  The broadcast can always replay the game at 8pm so it's not necessary to see games starting at 7pm since without fans at the game.

[King Heffy]

11 minutes ago, 6of1_halfdozenofother said:

 

 

I'm just throwing it out there as a potential option.  Clearly, no matter which option the league decides to consider or pursue, there will be technical hurdles or protestations by the teams that the league will need to overcome, and the teams would need to compromise on.  There won't be any one option that all the teams will fully embrace, including playing within security bubbles or a full league shutdown.

 

The concern about the PA not allowing players to play in the States is probably a harder one to overcome than the time-zone difference argument.  The 60 or so games we'd likely be playing under such an arrangement for the affected season(s) would be half abroad and half home, meaning that every Canadian team playing outside of their province would likely be dealing with the time zone differences in some way; there would not be a bubble requirement until the playoffs.  Letting the American teams and their players fester in that cesspool of coronavirus infestation while ensuring their health and safety is much harder to find a solution for, unless they themselves choose to sequester themselves into security bubbles for the regular season games.

All of our road games will be in a different timezone.  Contrast to the Alberta teams with at least one other team in their time zone, and the Ontario teams with 2, and we're in a huge hole, especially given it's harder to go from West-East than the other way for most people.  I'm pretty happy the NHLPA is putting their foot down and not endangering the players by agreeing to play in a disease-ridden country with substandard health care.