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

[Therick67]

I just need live sports. I’m sick of watching old games. Nothing is going to be perfect, especially with out fans. Give me the best you can and I’ll take it.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Any official word yet ?

 

[DarrenBanks56]

i know it wont happen but the home team should get some type of advantage. seeing how there is no real advantage with an empty rink think they would ever make it some the home team could be allowed to change lines of they ice the puck? or something simple like that. i think thats a fair tradeoff.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

ratings are gonna go through the roof when this comes back.

 

[armydoc19]

ratings are gonna go through the roof when this comes back.

Especially if they manage to get back to action without competing with the NBA and MLB. Whatever love sport gets back on tv first is gonna get crazy ratings... and perhaps some new fans. Of course, I'm sure they all know this already.

 

[Alicat]

The more I think about it the more I hate it.

I really can't stand the league rigging matchups. I don't want to play the damn Leafs yet again.

I wish they'd just cancel the rest of the season. It's not worth the aggravation and potential injuries to players.

 

[BAD BOY]

Any official word yet ?

Pierre LeBrun Twitter: done deal on the format.

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

I don’t understand those whining about the league trying to do everything they can to close out the 19-20 season. Especially not Bruins fans.

 

[Estlin]

I don’t understand those whining about the league trying to do everything they can to close out the 19-20 season. Especially not Bruins fans.

We are not whining, and frankly I find your use of that word insulting. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a global pandemic going on. This is a deadly virus that kills indiscriminately. People are being told to follow guidance not to gather in groups and told to wear masks and maintain physical distancing as best they can in order to protect themselves and others. Why should we clamor for hockey when doing so puts the lives of players, coaches, training staff, their families and others at risk? For our selfish viewing enjoyment, those players and personnel will effectively be flouting the guidance to stay safe.

Sure, the Bruins were having a great season. But a global health crisis emerged a few months ago, and combating that takes precedence over foolishly trying to finish the season, don’t you think? I can speak only for myself, but the emergence of COVID-19 has really put things into perspective, and for me that means staying healthy and ensuring that those whom I love and value as family and friends are also healthy and not affected by the virus. Hockey just doesn’t matter right now.

 

[JOKER 192]

That *appears* to be the case.

Why are they going with bubble teams and 24? It's stupid and unfair.

They should go right to 16, and the "seeding" should reflect the standings at the time of stoppage.

I don't know why you would do it any other way. I'd say money, but there won't be any gate dough, and that's mostly how they make it.

It's amazing , Montreal media have been tagging an asterix on to a Stanley Cup win (I bet mainly because they recognized the Bruins as a good candidate to win it) ever since the lock down. Now that the Habs are going to get a totally bogus crack at it , all is good.

Playoffs have been 16 teams for years now. Enough of the season was played out to go by win % , what is this BS? I can see no reason to change it at this point. What would have an undeniable ****** beside the Cup title would be to give a chance for a 17 to 24 seed team have a crack at winning the Cup.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I don’t understand those whining about the league trying to do everything they can to close out the 19-20 season. Especially not Bruins fans.

I don't see how "everything they can" needs to involve turning it into a gimmick tournament with additional teams. It'll be fun to watch since it's hockey, but it isn't the NHL doing everything it can. The NHL could have kept the 16 team format based on point percentage.

They are chasing ratings.

If one of the added teams goes on a miracle run and wins this championship... it'll really show what this was all along - a gimmick. Leave it to the NHL....

 

[GordonHowe]

It's amazing , Montreal media have been tagging an asterix on to a Stanley Cup win (I bet mainly because they recognized the Bruins as a good candidate to win it) ever since the lock down. Now that the Habs are going to get a totally bogus crack at it , all is good.

Playoffs have been 16 teams for years now. Enough of the season was played out to go by win % , what is this BS? I can see no reason to change it at this point. What would have an undeniable ****** beside the Cup title would be to give a chance for a 17 to 24 seed team have a crack at winning the Cup.

The only thing I can think of, as noted in a previous post, is that, somehow, money is to be made. Chiefly, that is what owners care about.

*Show me the money.*

 

[kthx]

Man I wish we had a long offseason and not 24 teams playoffs full of injuries.

Money talks.

 

[Fenway]

 

[Fenway]

The vote essentially closes the book this season on the bottom seven teams: Buffalo, New Jersey, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose, Ottawa and Detroit.
Everyone else still has a chance to lift the Stanley Cup.

Everyone seems to think Edmonton will be the West pod but nothing clear in the East.

Boston is still in the mix because of hotels and practice rinks and TD Garden has 4 dressing rooms. Mayor Walsh is on board as long as there are no fans. Since TD Garden will be sealed off to fans the ice is not expected to be an issue.

 

[Spooner st]

It's amazing , Montreal media have been tagging an asterix on to a Stanley Cup win (I bet mainly because they recognized the Bruins as a good candidate to win it) ever since the lock down. Now that the Habs are going to get a totally bogus crack at it , all is good.

Playoffs have been 16 teams for years now. Enough of the season was played out to go by win % , what is this BS? I can see no reason to change it at this point. What would have an undeniable ****** beside the Cup title would be to give a chance for a 17 to 24 seed team have a crack at winning the Cup.

It's always about the money and the wish of those in power... Maybe it will be all shutdown before it really starts.

 

[Spooner st]

You isolate that person/s and carry on. Which sounds faintly ridiculous at the moment but my logic is this - unless we get very very lucky with a vaccine, we're going to be living with this virus for a long time. Which leaves us with two alternatives. Either we have no sports for years, or we find a way to run the comps with a protocol in place that's workable for when infections occur.

The NHL is going to have to be very clear in advance on what their policy will be in regards to testing and any positive cases. They'll need to have an idea of how resilient they're willing to be, e.g. if a little cluster of 4 players/staff gets the virus, is that deemed acceptable and the rest of that team can carry on? As opposed to there being a 'tipping point' where if the numbers of an outbreak reach a certain level, that's when it's deemed too compromised and the whole thing is cancelled.

That's what is required, and what the players are going to have to agree to if they want to play. Because if they go in simply hoping that no-one gets infected over a period of multiple weeks, then they're massively just tempting fate.

We already know COVID-19 spreads faster and damages the body like no other virus before. is more deadly than the flu...and we know how fast the flu spreads through a locker room. We also know...the symptoms can take more than 14 days to show, and we also know some people are asymptomatic.

So " You isolate that person/s and carry on." Won't work.

 

[KrejciMVP]

It's amazing , Montreal media have been tagging an asterix on to a Stanley Cup win (I bet mainly because they recognized the Bruins as a good candidate to win it) ever since the lock down. Now that the Habs are going to get a totally bogus crack at it , all is good.

Playoffs have been 16 teams for years now. Enough of the season was played out to go by win % , what is this BS? I can see no reason to change it at this point. What would have an undeniable ****** beside the Cup title would be to give a chance for a 17 to 24 seed team have a crack at winning the Cup.

24 teams and the Habs get the final spot. It's almost as if a hab fan drew up the playoff scenario and stopped at 24 to get them in.

I expect if they win they'll celebrate the cup win forever having as many celebrations as possible

 

[Fenway]

24 teams and the Habs get the final spot. It's almost as if a hab fan drew up the playoff scenario and stopped at 24 to get them in.

I expect if they will they'll celebrate the cup win forever having as many celebrations as possible

Truth is the NHL is trying to give a lifeline to TVA Sports and engaging the francophone TV market. TVA Sports will carry the games - not RDS

 

[Aussie Bruin]

We already know COVID-19 spreads faster and damages the body like no other virus before. is more deadly than the flu...and we know how fast the flu spreads through a locker room. We also know...the symptoms can take more than 14 days to show, and we also know some people are asymptomatic.

So " You isolate that person/s and carry on." Won't work.

We're not dealing with a large population here, we're looking at particular small groups of individuals. This allows a certain level of control. Here in Australia the National Rugby League is resuming next week, and the Australian Football League two weeks after that. Here's how it's going to work - every player, official and staffer will be tested regularly, at least a couple of times a week. If someone gets the virus it'll be known very quickly, regardless of whether they're symptomatic. There will be strict rules in place around locker room hygiene, cleaning and personal interaction. If someone lives with a person who is deemed particularly vulnerable, on account of their occupation, health or whatever else, they're being strongly encouraged to sort out temporary alternative arrangements. Players will also be required to limit and be sensible about their day-to-day movements and social interactions.

Between all that the top health experts in the country believe there is a reasonable chance we can get both leagues back to playing week in week out with minimal disruption, with any infections being identified, isolated and treated before they can spread too far.

Australia has one massive advantage - our current COVID caseload is tiny, we're talking under 400 active cases in the whole country at present. However on the flip side these leagues are planning to carry on for around 4 months, whereas a NHL playoffs tournament only needs to go for 2. There are other potential mitigating options too - for example Edmonton is being discussed as a potential playing hub for the Western teams, which the number of active virus cases is reported to currently be under 100. Much less chance of anyone associated with the clubs becoming infected up there.

Of course there are risks. Despite all precautions there may be an outbreak that spirals out of control and the whole show falls apart. But I don't believe that's inevitable, either for our leagues here or the NHL. As for the players and everyone else involved, it's up to them to weigh up the risks and decide whether they're willing to accept them, the same way many of us do every day we go in to work.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

What happens if a player, someone on the coaching staff, a trainer or someone else contracts COVID-19? Is this tournament then shut down?

i dont think so. but you know theyll have a plan in place. they dont shut down the whole work place when a worker comes down with it. plus the nhl will probably be testing more often than normal people.

 

[Gee Wally]

NHL players’ union wants to negotiate further on playoff format - The Boston Globe



The players’ union released a statement Friday night saying it has authorized further negotiations, however.

There appears to be significant work to be done.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN in Canada reported that the format was agreed upon, but other issues remain unresolved.

The NHLPA executive committee conference call Thursday night got “a little heated at times,” TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted earlier Friday. McKenzie added that the vote was expected to have 18 of the 31 needed for approval.

The setup was proposed by the NHL’s return-to-play committee, which includes top league and union executives and several prominent players. The top four teams in each conference would receive byes and warm up with a round-robin tournament, and the lower eight teams per conference have a play-in round for the final four spots. The play-in could be a round-robin, best-of-three, best-of-five or best-of-seven format.

The 16 remaining teams would conduct the playoffs, which would be traditional, four-round, best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. By the start of the Round of 16, it is hoped the players, who had been off 72 days as of Friday, would have their pistons firing properly.

This plan would mean the scuttling of the final 189 games on the regular-season schedule.


Possibilities for host cities include Las Vegas, Columbus and Minneapolis/St. Paul in the United States, and Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto in Canada. Commissioner Gary Bettman said this week the league was looking at eight or nine cities to serve as hubs.

Bruins team president Cam Neely told the Globe this week that TD Garden was submitted for consideration. But Boston, given its status as a COVID-19 hot spot, would be an unlikely choice.

The first pucks could be dropped in early July. The 2020 Stanley Cup could be awarded in early September.

On Tuesday, Canada and the United States agreed to keep their borders closed for nonessential crossings until June 21, which could impede the flow of players returning to their NHL cities to train. However, governmental leaders in both countries have expressed great interest in pro sports restarting, so it’s likely the ban could be relaxed.

 

[SPLBRUIN]

The more I think about it the more I hate it.

I really can't stand the league rigging matchups. I don't want to play the damn Leafs yet again.

I wish they'd just cancel the rest of the season. It's not worth the aggravation and potential injuries to players.

No one is forcing you to watch it.

 

[Gee Wally]

Two years later, Ryan Callahan gets in his licks on Brad Marchand - The Boston Globe


Word around the docks: Ryan Callahan hasn’t forgiven Brad Marchand.

The former Tampa Bay forward said in a recent interview that the tongue-lashing Marchand gave him in the 2018 playoffs was a “scumbag move” and he was “in shock, obviously.”

Callahan said this during an episode of “Dock Talk with Killer,” an Instagram show hosted by Lightning forward Alex Killorn.

During a scrum in Game 4 of the 2018 second-round series between the Lightning and Bruins, Marchand responded to post-whistle punches from Callahan by licking him under the visor.
Killorn, relaying a question he said was popular with fans of the show, asked Callahan what went through his mind at the time.


I was a little bit excited ...” he began in jest.

“I was in shock, obviously,” he continued. “It was a scumbag move to do, to lick somebody like that. I didn’t know how to react.

"At the time, I needed shoulder surgery, my shoulder was taped down to my side, so I couldn’t really get at him. If you watch the video, it’s kind of awkward, me lifting my right hand to try to get him.

At the end of the day, it was a scumbag move. We got the last laugh out of that one.”

The Bruins lost the series in Game 5.

 

[BAD BOY]

I’m giving the NHLPA MAJOR props for doing this. That’s what make hockey players the toughest athletes. They came back or trying too.

So that is greatly appreciated. As for for the format I wish they found out another way. I probably would’ve went into playoff mode although people say you can’t do that right out of training camp. I say this isn’t normal times. However standings are what they are. If you go by winning percentage that’s cool as well.


Overall I’ll take what I can get and be grateful about it with everyone being safe and healthy . I agree with both sides of everyone’s opinion. It all makes sense. I said it once , I’ll say it twice, I’ll say it a million times I get along with everybody on here.

I wanna clarify one thing I said toughest athletes... in the world all parts.