NHL Around the NHL XXI - UPDATE 7/1 - Toronto and Edmonton chosen as hubs

[talkinaway]

Say one bruin tests positive 3 games in - he's out for 2 weeks. Does the rest of the team self isolate and till when? What if 4-8 guys test positive . . .

Maybe I missed it - what are their policies for testing and treatment?

My recollection is that someone in the NHL (Bettman himself? dunno) said that 1 or 2 sick players aren't going to cancel the tourney, but a large number will. I don't think they've issued a hard-and-fast cutoff between "1 or 2" and "a large number" yet. It's probably like what the Supreme Court said about porn - they'll know it when they see it.

Doing some paper-napkin estimates, my town has had about 18 total new cases of a population of 28,000 over the past 25 days. Shrinking that down to about 1,000 people per site (about 80 people per team, including arena workers and hotel staff - really an order-of-magnitude estimate), that would mean you would expect about 0.65 new cases over the course of 25 days. Obviously, this is a completely flawed analysis - we're bringing people in from multiple places (Nordy's in Sweden as of last week, for example), and they will NOT be social distancing.

What if a team has to withdraw because they have 10 or 11 COVID players, but there are no symptomatic players on any other teams? Do you eliminate just them? Just their opponents from that round and hope for the best? Eliminate the entire hub city and let the other teams play for the Cup? When you get into that, I think you start putting an asterisk on the COVID Cup. Keeping COVID out is possible if you do it right and you're fastidious about it. We can only hope that the myriad of 20 year-old players are responsible enough to do so.

The real question is how much work the NHL will have to put in to making the tournament actually happen, particularly with getting all players isolated for a sufficient amount of time. I think workouts start tomorrow, but all it takes is for one player's kid to touch the wrong surface on a flight on the way home to cause a setback.

 

[Over the volcano]

My recollection is that someone in the NHL (Bettman himself? dunno) said that 1 or 2 sick players aren't going to cancel the tourney, but a large number will. I don't think they've issued a hard-and-fast cutoff between "1 or 2" and "a large number" yet. It's probably like what the Supreme Court said about porn - they'll know it when they see it.

Doing some paper-napkin estimates, my town has had about 18 total new cases of a population of 28,000 over the past 25 days. Shrinking that down to about 1,000 people per site (about 80 people per team, including arena workers and hotel staff - really an order-of-magnitude estimate), that would mean you would expect about 0.65 new cases over the course of 25 days. Obviously, this is a completely flawed analysis - we're bringing people in from multiple places (Nordy's in Sweden as of last week, for example), and they will NOT be social distancing.

What if a team has to withdraw because they have 10 or 11 COVID players, but there are no symptomatic players on any other teams? Do you eliminate just them? Just their opponents from that round and hope for the best? Eliminate the entire hub city and let the other teams play for the Cup? When you get into that, I think you start putting an asterisk on the COVID Cup. Keeping COVID out is possible if you do it right and you're fastidious about it. We can only hope that the myriad of 20 year-old players are responsible enough to do so.

The real question is how much work the NHL will have to put in to making the tournament actually happen, particularly with getting all players isolated for a sufficient amount of time. I think workouts start tomorrow, but all it takes is for one player's kid to touch the wrong surface on a flight on the way home to cause a setback.

One player catching it could spread real quick in a locker room and turn the whole thing into the worst failed experiment in the history of the league - god forbid someone gets gravely ill or passes it along to a family member. . .

 

[DarrenBanks56]

One player catching it could spread real quick in a locker room and turn the whole thing into the worst failed experiment in the history of the league - god forbid someone gets gravely ill or passes it along to a family member. . .

well. at least they get tested daily. unlike all of us who are working and have no idea if we have it. lol.

 

[BruinsFanMike82]

The Bruins are going to lose their #1 seed because of a shootout, aren't they?

 

[talkinaway]

The Bruins are going to lose their #1 seed because of a shootout, aren't they?

Ugh, just when I'd forgotten how abysmal we were in the shootouts this year. I think I was able to block it out because "shootouts don't matter in the playoffs." Oops.

Even if we lose the #1 seed, we still get any tiebreaker, which could make us leap 1 or 2 spots, or maybe even all 3) in the standings. And seeding means very little. I can't tell you for sure which team is going to be better after 3 months of a pause, so the advantage of higher seeding is home ice, which is now reduced to "last change". We get that last change in the first round of the playoffs no matter what the seeding is, so it only matters if we face another round robin team in the second/third round, AND if they beat us.

So, yeah, I want us to do well in the round robin, but I think their importance is more for warmup games. I'm thankful we're in that position - imagine if we were 5th, and had to come in cold fighting for our lives?

The interesting thing is that round robin/play-in games count as playoff stats. That means that it's almost 100% certain that some team will break the NHL record for most playoff wins in a year - 4x4 normal games, and the SCF winner will likely won least 1 round robin game at minimum (or 3 play-in games). Same goes for goalie wins, as long as the team that wins doesn't have a goalie tandem or injury.

I wonder if the record for most playoff goals/points is at risk? Seems like it could be. Reggie Leach's record is 19 in 1976, and Ovi got 15 in 2018. If we get a lot of 4-3 series, a pumped Ovi or Pasta, and goalies that are a little wonky, then topping 19 might be possible.

 

[Trap Jesus]

The Bruins are going to lose their #1 seed because of a shootout, aren't they?

We're going to set some dubious record for playoff shootouts aren't we

 

[Smitty93]

Ugh, just when I'd forgotten how abysmal we were in the shootouts this year. I think I was able to block it out because "shootouts don't matter in the playoffs." Oops.

Even if we lose the #1 seed, we still get any tiebreaker, which could make us leap 1 or 2 spots, or maybe even all 3) in the standings. And seeding means very little. I can't tell you for sure which team is going to be better after 3 months of a pause, so the advantage of higher seeding is home ice, which is now reduced to "last change". We get that last change in the first round of the playoffs no matter what the seeding is, so it only matters if we face another round robin team in the second/third round, AND if they beat us.

So, yeah, I want us to do well in the round robin, but I think their importance is more for warmup games. I'm thankful we're in that position - imagine if we were 5th, and had to come in cold fighting for our lives?

The interesting thing is that round robin/play-in games count as playoff stats. That means that it's almost 100% certain that some team will break the NHL record for most playoff wins in a year - 4x4 normal games, and the SCF winner will likely won least 1 round robin game at minimum (or 3 play-in games). Same goes for goalie wins, as long as the team that wins doesn't have a goalie tandem or injury.

I wonder if the record for most playoff goals/points is at risk? Seems like it could be. Reggie Leach's record is 19 in 1976, and Ovi got 15 in 2018. If we get a lot of 4-3 series, a pumped Ovi or Pasta, and goalies that are a little wonky, then topping 19 might be possible.

I've got to disagree with you here. I think it's Pittsburgh and then a large gap to everyone else. Sure, we don't know who's going to be the better teams with so much time off, but I'd still rather play anyone other than Pittsburgh. That's why not finishing 4th is so important (and why I'm annoyed that the Bruins didn't have some kind of advantage that would prevent them from finishing 4th).

 

[talkinaway]

I've got to disagree with you here. I think it's Pittsburgh and then a large gap to everyone else. Sure, we don't know who's going to be the better teams with so much time off, but I'd still rather play anyone other than Pittsburgh. That's why not finishing 4th is so important (and why I'm annoyed that the Bruins didn't have some kind of advantage that would prevent them from finishing 4th).

They do have an advantage - regular season standings break ties. Specifically, that will keep them out of 4th seed unless they literally lose all 3 games. As long as they get 2 points, they're (almost) guaranteed to at worst tie for last place, which gives them 3rd seed.

I guess definitely I could concede that seeding is still somewhat relevant, but not nearly as relevant as it would have been had we had a normal season. I don't think it's going to be completely random - I'd rather play whoever's 14 or 15th seed than PIT.

 

[bruins repeat time]

I personally fear leafs and blue jackets about as much as anyone 5 to 12 so I don't mind the re-seeding .

I have seen some teams skating with small groups . What is going on in Boston ? Who is in town and who is skating now ?

 

[BigGoalBrad]

It’s harder to answer questions from the media in a second language than have a basic convo with a teammate. Lots of baseball and soccer players won’t take questions in English from the press but can chat with teammates or if they run into them on the street fans.

 

[talkinaway]

I personally fear leafs and blue jackets about as much as anyone 5 to 12 so I don't mind the re-seeding .

I have seen some teams skating with small groups . What is going on in Boston ? Who is in town and who is skating now ?

Excellent questions, and I don't know. As of last Tuesday, Nordy was in Sweden. That means that he probably shouldn't be available for skating until next Tuesday at the absolute earliest, I presume.

Massachusetts just entered "Phase 2, Step 1" today of the state plan, which includes:

• Professional sports practices, no games or public admissions;

So, that would be Warrior. But just because they're allowed doesn't mean they're prepared or licensed. I'm sure they have to go through training, get supplies, etc. in order to be able to operate - can't run Warrior if you don't have the Purell stands set up, locker rooms adequately set up for new social distancing guidelines, etc.

The NHL is also in Phase 2 of their protocol, starting today, which is "limited workouts at team facilities". I think that's the groups of 6 players plus coach off the ice. It also includes getting a nasal swab 2 days before you enter into Phase 2, so anyone coming in today to get a swab wouldn't be eligible to practice until Wednesday. All these practices are supposed to be 100% voluntary, from what I understand, and I think technically no coaching? And their practice groups must remain the same - no mix-and-match.

There are no signs of any activity on the Bruins website, so naturally, I'm pretty sure practices haven't happened. And Warrior's scheduling site is also silent. You'd think they might have players take little cell phone videos of their return to Boston to post on the site, so....my guess is players who have left proooobably haven't come back, or just came back recently. I checked Krug and Marchy's Instagram - I dunno if they went "home" or not, but nothing new as of late. Chara's obviously in town, as he marched on Saturday.

 

[Fenway]

Beginning to look like the NHL Eastern Conference playoffs will be staged in Chicago and the West in Las Vegas. Canada does not plan to eliminate the 14 day mandatory quarantine period until July 29th.

 

[Alicat]

Not sure where to put this but Kevan Miller was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy by the Boston chapter of the PHWA



The winner is Bobby Ryan hands down

 

[nfld77]

1st time ever, the President Trophy winner isnt the #1 seed going into postseason and the 24th overall team could be in the playoffs..Of course the 2 teams we're talking about is Montreal and Boston..

IF Habbies beat Pens, are they automatically in the top 16?? If so and I was a Pen fan, I dont think I would ever watch another nhl game..It's pure injustice

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

1st time ever, the President Trophy winner isnt the #1 seed going into postseason and the 24th overall team could be in the playoffs..Of course the 2 teams we're talking about is Montreal and Boston..

IF Habbies beat Pens, are they automatically in the top 16?? If so and I was a Pen fan, I dont think I would ever watch another nhl game..It's pure injustice

Pittsburgh would then have a « chance » at Lafreniere. Wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize for choking against the eternal losers.

1993 Forever!

 

[HustleB]

Guys I am confused and I was not sure where to look. 16 teams are returning this week but it is a 24 team tournament as I understand. Why are 8 teams returning on a delayed schedule?

 

[BigGoalBrad]

Not sure where to put this but Kevan Miller was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy by the Boston chapter of the PHWA



The winner is Bobby Ryan hands down

Damn you Cam Neely winning the Masterson...that award should have gone to Kevin Stevens.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

1st time ever, the President Trophy winner isnt the #1 seed going into postseason and the 24th overall team could be in the playoffs..Of course the 2 teams we're talking about is Montreal and Boston..

IF Habbies beat Pens, are they automatically in the top 16?? If so and I was a Pen fan, I dont think I would ever watch another nhl game..It's pure injustice

I mean they get to warm up for the playoffs playing a bottom quadrant NHL team. If they lose its on them.

 

[talkinaway]

Funny, right after I posted last night that nothing had been been put out by Warrior....



It sounds like they're ready to take on the Bruins, whenever the Bruins are ready. There's also some limited youth hockey allowed, I believe, which I assume that means practices and drills are allowed? I'm not clear on the exact delination, but there is a difference between a scrimmage game (tons of contact) and shooting/passing drills (less contact).

 

[BigGoalBrad]

What’s the holdup now? Wonder why no news for a couple weeks.

 

[bruins repeat time]

Excellent questions, and I don't know. As of last Tuesday, Nordy was in Sweden. That means that he probably shouldn't be available for skating until next Tuesday at the absolute earliest, I presume.

Massachusetts just entered "Phase 2, Step 1" today of the state plan, which includes:

• Professional sports practices, no games or public admissions;

So, that would be Warrior. But just because they're allowed doesn't mean they're prepared or licensed. I'm sure they have to go through training, get supplies, etc. in order to be able to operate - can't run Warrior if you don't have the Purell stands set up, locker rooms adequately set up for new social distancing guidelines, etc.

The NHL is also in Phase 2 of their protocol, starting today, which is "limited workouts at team facilities". I think that's the groups of 6 players plus coach off the ice. It also includes getting a nasal swab 2 days before you enter into Phase 2, so anyone coming in today to get a swab wouldn't be eligible to practice until Wednesday. All these practices are supposed to be 100% voluntary, from what I understand, and I think technically no coaching? And their practice groups must remain the same - no mix-and-match.

There are no signs of any activity on the Bruins website, so naturally, I'm pretty sure practices haven't happened. And Warrior's scheduling site is also silent. You'd think they might have players take little cell phone videos of their return to Boston to post on the site, so....my guess is players who have left proooobably haven't come back, or just came back recently. I checked Krug and Marchy's Instagram - I dunno if they went "home" or not, but nothing new as of late. Chara's obviously in town, as he marched on Saturday.

Interesting I basically haven't heard anything except the five Oilers . They were on the ice .

 

[bruins repeat time]

I mean they get to warm up for the playoffs playing a bottom quadrant NHL team. If they lose its on them.

I can't agree . With this layoff anything is possible . I suspect you will probably see at least two of the 11 or 12 seeds advance .

 

[SanDogBrewin]

Didn’t know where else to put this. Talk about from-out-of-nowhere.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Not sure where to put this but Kevan Miller was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy by the Boston chapter of the PHWA



The winner is Bobby Ryan hands down

INTERESTING to note.... St. Louis selected Jay Bouwmeester after that incident that night in Anaheim for a second straight season, Ali..... New Englanders, especially in Portland didn't really know Bobby Ryan or that story when he arrived here starting in 2006-07

 

[HockeyMomx2]

Funny, right after I posted last night that nothing had been been put out by Warrior....



It sounds like they're ready to take on the Bruins, whenever the Bruins are ready. There's also some limited youth hockey allowed, I believe, which I assume that means practices and drills are allowed? I'm not clear on the exact delination, but there is a difference between a scrimmage game (tons of contact) and shooting/passing drills (less contact).

Yup, woke up to a pic on my phone from my daughter of her players on the ice.