Around the League 22: But how will it work next season?

[Stickpucker]

Any word on if the season may still start around new years? Getting closer and closer to be so quiet.

 

[MinJaBen]

Any word on if the season may still start around new years? Getting closer and closer to be so quiet.

I think you have your answer...

 

[2Minutes4Surging]

Listing Skjei's contract value with NYR is pretty close to meaningless in context of Skjei with the Canes.

Skjei played the vast majority of his minutes last year with Jacob Trouba who was listed as Dom's #7 worst contract in the NHL. Trouba was a dumpster fire last year. Every single one of Skjei's metrics was better without Trouba.

	Skjei w/ Trouba	Skjei w/o Trouba
CF%	44.9%	50.3%
GF%	39.7%	51.3%
xGF%	46.6%	48.4%
HDGF%	37.5%	53.9%

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I think all Dom's data shows is that Skjei didn't put up very good numbers with Trouba on NYR's top pair. NYR in itself being one of the worst defensive teams in the entire NHL last year, both the forwards and D. This situation would be like putting Skjei next to Hamilton and having that pair play against the other team's top lines every game. Skjei's role is completely changed next to Pesce on the Canes 2nd pair.

Exactly. NYR is one of the worst D teams in the league. Every D-man that has left NYR has turned their game around: Shattenkirk, McDonaugh, Graves, Pionk. While the D-men they have acquired have been poor defensively: Trouba, Deangelo, Shattenkirk. It is very apparent that Skjei has flaws in his game, but he is not a bad player and his contract isn't as bad as we have been lead to believe.

 

[bleedgreen]

Everything is slowly getting locked down here in Denver. Numbers are in the wrong direction.

A lot of it is the hospitalizations. Before they weren’t having anyone come in unless they were legit in trouble, and it ended up with the hospitals almost going broke. Now they’re admitting everyone they didn’t admit before. I had a guy who was 45 and sick as hell the other day, he’s a legit life concern so I’m not trying to play it down in any way. Just stating as always you can’t be sure what some of the numbers are telling you.

In this environment, they’re more likely to cancel than open up.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Any word on if the season may still start around new years? Getting closer and closer to be so quiet.

NHL keeps saying they want to target January 1. I've heard a person or two say they think mid-January may be more realistic. Sounded like the NHL and NHLPA had some back and forth so far on the down-low but that the NHL hadn't met with the committee of players yet. There have been rumors of beginning the year in hub cities that might allow for some attendance and a semi bubble situation, but that they would allow players to leave for periods of time to visit families. The hope would be to return to home arenas later in the year.

A few things to keep in mind. First, many said they couldn't pull off the summer, and they did. I'm not betting against them if they are determined to make it happen. ESPN had a pretty good article on pulling it off recently. Second, the NBA has already said they plan to play starting I think December 22. The NHL is very likely to follow their lead, albeit probably delayed. MLB and NFL, while not perfect, have pulled off, or are pulling this off. It will probably help the NHL and NBA learn some lessons.

 

[bleedgreen]

I’m not saying they can’t pull it off. I’m just saying the optimism we may have had about the direction this is all going in has dissipated around here. If it’s like here everywhere this is only getting more complicated and tougher for them to pull it off.

I think they may HAVE to play to sustain their business so they’re going to give it their best shot for sure.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I’m not saying they can’t pull it off. I’m just saying the optimism we may have had about the direction this is all going in has dissipated around here. If it’s like here everywhere this is only getting more complicated and tougher for them to pull it off.

I think they may HAVE to play to sustain their business so they’re going to give it their best shot for sure.

There have also been rumors there are fewer owners than you would think that are against playing because of the potential losses. I think they know they aren't in a position to disappear for a year when they finally have labor peace. Not with TV contracts coming up soon that are going to be a big deal. They may not be able to pull it off. But I think they have plenty of reasons to try. And I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt at this point.

 

[GoldiFox]

There is a cost benefit analysis that the NHL has to run with TV contracts ending next year.

It may well be in the best interest of the majority to take the losses this year on a short season in the hopes of acquiring a good TV deal next offseason. Canceling the season now would alienate their current partner and give them little to no leverage in extending or finding a new network.

It is probably unlikely but the best outcome would be for the NHL and NHLPA to come to some understanding on the payroll side for next year to ensure mutual survival. Much of that is already handled by the escrow agreement but at least a common understanding of projected revenues in a league without gate revenue would be helpful.

 

[Lempo]

At one point I think they gave Nov 17 as the starting date for the camps (mentioned by a local GM when someone concerned signed to Liiga pro tem). The silence is a bit too deafening for that to happen.

 

[Stickpucker]

It's kinda odd b/c when watching college football they're selling out 40k - 100k people stadiums....where is seems the NFL is running at 20% capacity. Not sure if that is a city by city basis or a league decision.

Is the NHL less likely to open up because all of the stadiums are indoors? Or is college football just that greedy?

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

It's kinda odd b/c when watching college football they're selling out 40k - 100k people stadiums....where is seems the NFL is running at 20% capacity. Not sure if that is a city by city basis or a league decision.

Is the NHL less likely to open up because all of the stadiums are indoors? Or is college football just that greedy?

Which college teams are selling out? I havent seen any when watching.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

It's kinda odd b/c when watching college football they're selling out 40k - 100k people stadiums....where is seems the NFL is running at 20% capacity. Not sure if that is a city by city basis or a league decision.

Is the NHL less likely to open up because all of the stadiums are indoors? Or is college football just that greedy?

Outdoor events are much less likely to promote COVID spread in general, hence they're more likely to be approved for play.

 

[Chrispy]

It's kinda odd b/c when watching college football they're selling out 40k - 100k people stadiums....where is seems the NFL is running at 20% capacity. Not sure if that is a city by city basis or a league decision.

Is the NHL less likely to open up because all of the stadiums are indoors? Or is college football just that greedy?

Yes, yes, yes.

Yes, this is both city by city (or rather, state by state) and a league decision. By league policy, the Big Ten and Pac 12 have no fans in attendance. Pac-12 is making an exception for family of players where allowed by state law. The ACC has limited fans in attendance in compliance with state policy. Same with the SEC and Big 12.

Yes, the NHL being indoors makes it much less likely you will see crowds at NHL games anytime soon. Yes, college football is greedy.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Yes, yes, yes.

Yes, this is both city by city (or rather, state by state) and a league decision. By league policy, the Big Ten and Pac 12 have no fans in attendance. Pac-12 is making an exception for family of players where allowed by state law. The ACC has limited fans in attendance in compliance with state policy. Same with the SEC and Big 12.

Yes, the NHL being indoors makes it much less likely you will see crowds at NHL games anytime soon. Yes, college football is greedy.

I hate to use the word "greedy" to describe sports leagues, because generally speaking, they are in it to make money and they should make money. My one exception is college football and basketball, where they don't even pay their own players and teams basically treat them as indentured servants.

 

[MinJaBen]

I hate to use the word "greedy" to describe sports leagues, because generally speaking, they are in it to make money and they should make money. My one exception is college football and basketball, where they don't even pay their own players and teams basically treat them as indentured servants.

That is your exception?!? That seems to be the strongest case for the use of the word.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

This might be fake news but I've read multiple sources claiming that cold weather is more conducive to spreading COVID-19, much like the winter flu. So, indoor arena + cold environment might be a bad idea for fans.

 

[Lempo]

That is your exception?!? That seems to be the strongest case for the use of the word.

Yes, this is the one instance he doesn't hate using the word greedy. Here greedy, for lack of a better word, is good, as a word.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

That is your exception?!? That seems to be the strongest case for the use of the word.

I think you misread.

 

[MinJaBen]

Yes, this is the one instance he doesn't hate using the word greedy. Here greedy, for lack of a better word, is good, as a word.

I think you misread.

On rereading, yes I think I misread the intention. Thank you.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

That is your exception?!? That seems to be the strongest case for the use of the word.

Exception to NOT using the word greedy. You misread.

 

[Lempo]

Quite a good piece in Finnpress of the hockey employment market currently, in Finland but also in general:

Jääkiekon työmarkkinat ovat sekaisin: puoli-ilmaisia lainapelaajia, isoja palkkaleikkauksia ja työttömyyttä – “Tässä tulee monen ura loppumaan"

- Not enough jobs to go around. Some of those who doesn't get one, silently just finish their career. Those who do get, do it with reduced salary.
- currently there are 130-140 loaned NHL players in Europe
- ECHL and AHL has signed contracts, but at the same time they got double or triple amount of unemployed players compared to normal times
- salaries are low: NHL teams loan players on "almost zero euros"
- Currently unemployed normally-sure-to-be-employed Finnish players practice daily together. If they formed a team, it would "easily be a top-4 team in Liiga".
- Some players have given in 50 to 70 percent in the salary. The options are reduced salary or potentially getting laid off. The players hope to be able to continue their career and just get through the year.
- The future: if a couple of hundred players finish the career, the teams may suddenly find it is the players' market. There is the caveat though that there may not necessarily be same amount on jobs to go around if some teams would fold in this situation.


Looks like the NHL season 2020-21 happening or not happening has massive repercussions to the whole hockey world.

 

[geehaad]

Exception to NOT using the word greedy. You misread.

Thank you for clarifying this 30 minutes after Ben had already acknowledged as much.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Not sure but I think he misread.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Not sure but I think he misread.

Go check again, I think you misread what he misread

Also, props to English for having misread and misread pronounced differently depending on the tense...

 

[Stickpucker]

*puts on flameretardant suit*

Sometime the group think is a little too strong here. Need some contrary or edgy opinions to stop the echo chamber and keep things fresh.