2020-21 USHL Return To Play Plans

[JMCx4]

USHL Focused on Full Schedule For 2020-21 Season

... USHL President and Commissioner Tom Garrity (said) ... “Each of our Member Clubs was represented as we discussed the best way to return to play for the 2020-21 season while ensuring the safety of everyone involved in returning to the ice.” ...

The USHL has created a working Return to Play document, updated daily, which features guidance on safety protocols at local, state and national levels. USHL front office members are utilizing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and collaborating with representatives from the NHL and USA Hockey. Each Member Club is responsible for working directly with local health officials to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest information in their market. The main emphasis of the document is providing guidelines and recommendations for the safety of players, coaches, staff, billets and fans, as well as ensuring Clubs are taking all available precautions against the spread of COVID-19. ...

Click to read more...

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

USHL Focused on Full Schedule For 2020-21 Season

I doubt they know what is going to happen considering these American politicians don't even know what is going happen. They probably have one half dozen contingency plans ready to use.

 

[JMCx4]

I doubt they know what is going to happen considering these American politicians don't even know what is going happen. ...

That - and because the damn virus hasn't published its playbook - is why the USHL has "a working Return to Play document, updated daily ...."

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

That - and because the damn virus hasn't published its playbook - is why the USHL has "a working Return to Play document, updated daily ...."

I like to think if COVID-19 had a playbook, it is similar to "Red Dawn" movie. First, attack China. Then. South Europe. Then, USA. Then, the World.

And the only way to free the World from COVID-19? Wolverines, of course.

 

[JMCx4]

I like to think if COVID-19 had a playbook, it is similar to "Red Dawn" movie. First, attack China. Then. South Europe. Then, USA. Then, the World.

And the only way to free the World from COVID-19? Wolverines, of course.

Where IS Patrick Swayze when we need him most? Oh, that's right, he died in 2009. And Charlie Sheen is no help these days, of course.

 

[mjhfb]

If this continues NASA might have to design sealed helmets with personal oxygen.

 

[weems]

 

[JMCx4]

From: USA Hockey

... Making The Right Tweaks

The USHL is also holding its combines with success. League commissioner Tom Garrity is overseeing these events while also monitoring the day-to-day changes into the intel on the outbreak.

“Right now, I’m just trying to monitor this on a daily basis and try and stay in front of this,” Garrity said. “There’s a lot of things that go into this.”

Garrity and (NAHL commissioner Mark) Frankenfeld have been part of a group of North American hockey commissioners, including NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who have kept in touch during the pandemic to discuss strategies.

“We’ve shared what we’ve learned along the way and they’ve done the same,” Garrity said. “As a league, we’ve worked on tweaking our guidelines. Right now, we’re already on our second or third version.”

Much like Frankenfeld and the NAHL, Garrity and the USHL face the challenge of complying with guidelines which vary by state. And for these leagues, having a bubble like the NHL does, is not possible.

“We have to worry about getting kids into the market and ready for school,” Garrity said. “The best-case scenario is to have a full schedule. But it comes down to safety.” ...

 

[JMCx4]

Missed this announcement in the U.S. juniors shuffle ...

USHL Targets November 6 Start to Regular Season
08/18/2020, 4:15pm CDT
By USHL
League Plans 54-Game Schedule with Maximum Flexibility

The United States Hockey League (USHL), the only Tier I junior hockey league in the United States, announced Tuesday that it has targeted Friday, November 6 as the start of the 2020-2021 season. Under the plan, teams will play 54 regular season games between November 6, 2020 and April 24, 2021.

Players are scheduled to arrive in market over a four-week period beginning September 14 with preseason games targeted to begin in mid-October. All activities are designed to take place in accordance with local, state and federal guidelines as well as the League’s Return to Play Protocols which are currently being finalized.

The regular season schedule allows for flexibility for games to be moved to the back of the schedule due to postponements, capacity restrictions, or other factors.

“We have created a plan to bring players to our markets and in order to safely begin development and ultimately competition,” said USHL President and Commissioner Tom Garrity. “Should conditions change, this plan will allow our league the flexibility to react to new circumstances, and we will adjust accordingly.”

The plan was formulated in consultation with all USHL Member Clubs. The league expects to announce the release of its 54-game regular season schedule in the coming weeks.

 

[mk80]

 

[JMCx4]

2020-21 League schedule released this week. Starting November 5th - a day earlier than previously announced (I presume to accommodate arena scheduling) - and featuring a "regional schedule model" with a reduced number of games per team from previous seasons ...

USHL Announces 2020-21 Schedule
09/29/2020, 3:00pm CDT
By USHL

The 2020-21 USHL Regular Season Begins November 5 and Concludes April 24

CHICAGO, IL - The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its participating Member Clubs announced Tuesday the 2020-21 regular season schedule.

This season will consist of 54 games for each team in a regionally-based schedule. Preseason matchups for the upcoming season will be released at a later date. ...

On September 18, the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Madison Captiols announced they would suspend operations for the upcoming season due to substantial rink damage and significant county restrictions related to COVID-19, respectively. The 14-team schedule released today includes six teams in the Eastern Conference and eight teams in the Western Conference.

“The regional schedule model was created with the idea of reducing team travel wherever possible while maximizing regional rivalries,” said Garrity. “It is built with flexibility to allow for the rescheduling of games as needed.” ...

USHL REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE


Read more at: USHL Announces 2020-21 Schedule

 

[JMCx4]

So with a quick check of representative team schedules, it appears that the "regional schedule model" for USHL play in '20-'21 has established essentially 3 divisions among the 14 teams.

• Chicago, Green Bay, Muskegon, Youngstown, and Team USA in the eastern portion of the footprint;
  
• Fargo, Lincoln, Omaha, Sioux Falls and Tri-City in the western portion of the footprint; and
• Des Moines, Dubuque, Sioux City and Waterloo in the center of the footprint, with significant numbers of games played against teams to their east and/or west.

It looks to me like a very thoughtful balance of opponents under the combination of usual & unusual circumstances. But I'm sure some portion of the various fan bases will be griping about seeing the other 3 or 4 teams in their "division" too often.

 

[JMCx4]

Buccaneers adding a new home ice venue after this summer's Iowa derecho damaged Buccaneer Arena ...

Des Moines Buccaneers to Call Wells Fargo Arena Home for Start of 2020-2021 Season

10/14/2020, 9:45AM CDT
BY DES MOINES BUCCANEERS

HOME OPENER SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 AT WELLS FARGO ARENA

Des Moines, IA – The Des Moines Buccaneers announced today they will open the 2020-2021 season calling Wells Fargo Arena home due to the damage Buccaneer Arena sustained August 10 during the Derecho storm. The USHL Des Moines Bucs have played at Buccaneer Arena each season since their inception in 1980 but knew in order to commit to the 2020-2021 season they would need to find a temporary home while repairs were done to their facility.

“2020 has been an unprecedented year with the COVID-19 pandemic and the damage sustained to our home ice at Buccaneer Arena due to the storm in August,” said Des Moines Buccaneers President Nate Teut. “We are grateful to Wells Fargo Arena, the Iowa Wild, and the greater hockey community for coming together to help make this upcoming Buccaneer season possible.” ...

Read more at: Des Moines Buccaneers to Call Wells Fargo Arena Home for Start of 2020-2021 Season

 

[mk80]

Buccaneers adding a new home ice venue after this summer's Iowa derecho damaged Buccaneer Arena ...

I'm not too familiar with Buccaneer arena except what I've seen in pictures and video, but that seems like a nice upgrade for them to play there, even if only for a temporary arrangement

 

[JMCx4]

I'm not too familiar with Buccaneer arena except what I've seen in pictures and video, but that seems like a nice upgrade for them to play there, even if only for a temporary arrangement

I've been to both arenas. The upgrade to Wells Fargo is like moving from a trailer park to the Waldorf Astoria.

 

[JMCx4]

The USHL started their 2020 preseason games last weekend and will continue thru the end of October, with the 2020-21 regular season scheduled to begin Nov. 5th with the Des Moines Buccaneers playing their first game at Wells Fargo Arena. Most of the preseason matches so far have been played without fans in attendance, with two exceptions.

1. Muskegon visiting Team USA @ the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, MI, with 443 in attendance (3,504 seating capacity); and
2. Omaha visiting Lincoln @ the Ice Box in Lincoln, NE, with 1,129 in attendance (approx. 4,600 seating capacity).

 

[JMCx4]

The Chicago Steel issued a letter to ticketholders today (excerpts below), seemingly hedging their bets on being able to start their 2020-21 season with butts in seats ...

October 23, 2020

Steel Fans:

The 2020-2021 season is finally upon us. This weekend, our team will take the ice for the first time for a pair of preseason games in Green Bay. Next weekend, we will play a home-and-home series with Muskegon leading up to the start of the regular season on November 6. ...

As our team prepares to take the ice, what remains uncertain is whether or not we’ll have the opportunity to welcome you to Fox Valley Ice Arena this season. Currently, State of Illinois guidelines prohibit us from having spectators at our home games. We have not been given a clear timeline as to when these restrictions may be lifted.

To that end, we have decided at this time to refund all purchases remaining from unplayed games during the 2019- 2020 season, and all deposits for the 2020-2021 season. This process will take place over the next 14 days and fans impacted may expect to receive a refund during this period.

This decision doesn’t mean that we won’t have spectators during the 2020-2021 season. While we are still hopeful for the opportunity to host fans this season, we don’t want our fans to feel as though they are being strung along, and we wouldn’t feel right at this point holding on to credits or deposits while we wait this out together. ...

Sincerely,
Dan Lehv
President Chicago Steel Hockey Team

 

[JMCx4]

Another way hockey has changed in this pandemic ...

The challenges and difficulties of 2020 have had an impact on everyone, whether large or small. With that in mind, the Waterloo Black Hawks are asking fans to be kind to a special group whose sole mission is to make us feel better: America’s Teddy Bears.

Rather than sending cute plush toys hurtling hundreds of feet through the air and landing on the cold, hard ice during the annual Thanksgiving Teddy Bear Toss, the Black Hawks will hold a gentle Teddy Bear Round-Up before the November 26th meeting with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Fans providing new bears with tags will still be helping Toys for Tots, People’s Community Health Clinic, and other organizations which will use the toys to brighten the lives of children this holiday season. The Black Hawks will also round up teddy bears ahead of the Wednesday, November 25th Thanksgiving Eve matchup against the Lincoln Stars.

“In all seriousness, we are asking fans to approach this traditional part of the Thanksgiving game a little differently - just this year - out of an abundance of caution related to the COVID-19 situation,” said Black Hawks President of Business Operations Joe Greene. “We are still very proud to act as an intermediary bringing together Black Hawks fans with some great organizations.” ...