NHL Eying 4 Cities To Resume Play In? Edmonton? Part 2

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I'd be fine with that. Much better than a 24 team playoff.

Hard no to a play in during normal times. Baseball has fewer teams that make the playoffs. NHL has half the teams. Not in the top half? Then go golf and play better next year. Makes for a far more interesting regular season.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I am just concerned. Hopefully that's allowed. I'd hate for all of Alberta's hard work to be wrecked by a bunch of infected Americans.

He had the virus. He doesn’t have it anymore. All players will be tested and under some form of quarantine. We can’t stay completely isolated until a vaccine comes.

You run this no different than opening the restaurants malls and stores. The risk is minimal and managed.

 

[doulos]

He had the virus. He doesn’t have it anymore. All players will be tested and under some form of quarantine. We can’t stay completely isolated until a vaccine comes.

You run this no different than opening the restaurants malls and stores. The risk is minimal and managed.

It sounded like he had it currently, so that's somewhat better. I guess we will see how it goes. The risk in Alberta is not high, but moving a whole bunch of people in from an the USA goes a little beyond my risk tolerance, but alas, it is what it is. People want their sports and are willing to do things for it that I personally would not want to.

 

[bellagiobob]

And then the team that wins that series enters a tourney with the 7 non playoff teams to determine the real SC winner.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I am just concerned. Hopefully that's allowed. I'd hate for all of Alberta's hard work to be wrecked by a bunch of infected Americans.

You do realize that the virus is also in Europe and Russia? Also Eastern Canada, Quebec, BC, and probably the moon? Also even in Calgary which isn’t really on Earth but more in hell?

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

It sounded like he had it currently, so that's somewhat better. I guess we will see how it goes. The risk in Alberta is not high, but moving a whole bunch of people in from an the USA goes a little beyond my risk tolerance, but alas, it is what it is. People want their sports and are willing to do things for it that I personally would not want to.

If we were opening willy nilly I would agree but I have confidence Dr Hinshaw will manage this properly.

We have to get back to some form of normal. Hockey under controlled conditions starting in 8 - 9 weeks from now is a good step in that direction.

 

[bone]

They keep just shooting themselves in the foot over thinking things. Through a series of missteps by the league, Dallas may end up up going from a guaranteed first round matchup against St. Louis or Colorado to a possibly a first round matchup against Arizona or Chicago. Seems this format is overly generous to a team like theirs while being quite punitive to teams like Boston or Pittsburgh or Edmonton.

 

[doulos]

You do realize that the virus is also in Europe and Russia? Also Eastern Canada, Quebec, BC, and probably the moon? Also even in Calgary which isn’t really on Earth but more in hell?

Not a lot of NHL teams in Europe, Russia, or the moon.

 

[bellagiobob]

If we were opening willy nilly I would agree but I have confidence Dr Hinshaw will manage this properly.

We have to get back to some form of normal. Hockey under controlled conditions starting in 8 - 9 weeks from now is a good step in that direction.

I've taken a pretty cautious approach to Covid, and these teams coming here and living in a bubble doesn't really concern me at all. If anything they will go out of their way and beyond most posted measures to make sure they don't get infected. More concerned of a bush party at the lake causing more infections than this would.

 

[CupofOil]

I am just concerned. Hopefully that's allowed. I'd hate for all of Alberta's hard work to be wrecked by a bunch of infected Americans.

You can be concerned all you want but there's no basis for it in this situation for the reasons I mentioned in my previous post. There's no threat to the public (literally zero) if the players aren't in the public.
There's a better chance of Albertans catching an infection from a random traveler coming from B.C. or Saskatchewan.

 

[doulos]

You can be concerned all you want but there's no basis for it in this situation for the reasons I mentioned in my previous post. There's no threat to the public (literally zero) if the players aren't in the public.

Each of us have different comfort levels when it comes to this situation.

 

[bone]

I've taken a pretty cautious approach to Covid, and these teams coming here and living in a bubble doesn't really concern me at all. If anything they will go out of their way and beyond most posted measures to make sure they don't get infected. More concerned of a bush party at the lake causing more infections than this would.

Exactly, there are going to be a lot of uncontrolled environments that are far riskier to outbreak than this tournament. The only risk is in the first few days while everyone gets tested up. If that is managed safely, then they are no different than anyone else here.

One of the encouraging things to me was that we got that quick spike over the weekend in Edmonton related to a couple family get togethers, but as soon as the data captured those new infections, the new numbers started returning to normal very quickly. If everyone is responsible when they get any kind of symptom they appear to be able to stop the outbreak from that event pretty quickly.

 

[CupofOil]

Each of us have different comfort levels when it comes to this situation.

Of course but, for the reasons I outlined, I don't see any reason to be concerned about hockey players locked in a bubble spreading infection throughout Edmonton.
As I said before, there's a better chance of you catching infection from a random person in public traveling from a nearby province.
Anyway, if you're worried then by all means...

 

[doulos]

Of course but, for the reasons I outlined, I don't see any reason to be concerned about hockey players locked in a bubble spreading infection throughout Edmonton.
As I said before, there's a better chance of you catching infection from a random person in public traveling from a nearby province.
Anyway, if you're worried then by all means...

If you're not concerned that's good. I have a different view.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Not a lot of NHL teams in Europe, Russia, or the moon.

Players my friend. Players. The players all went back to their countries or provinces a few days after the pause. They are still there. They will be going to wherever the hub cities are.

 

[AddyTheWrath]

Of course but, for the reasons I outlined, I don't see any reason to be concerned about hockey players locked in a bubble spreading infection throughout Edmonton.
As I said before, there's a better chance of you catching infection from a random person in public traveling from a nearby province.
Anyway, if you're worried then by all means...

I think there’s still a variety of unknowns when it comes to inviting teams to Edmonton. For example, who will be in close proximity to the team? Will players be allowed trips outside the rink and hotel areas? Will teams have to travel between host cities for the Stanley cup final? Etc.

I think without any information, it’s easy to be worried about the potential health impacts. Hell, even with all the information, there’s always a possibility that something goes wrong (for instance, an equipment manager who lives in Edmonton contracts the virus from another team and infects a local food delivery worker).

There are just so many scenarios where even a tiny slip up could be a cause for concern. I’m not really that worried personally if Edmonton hosts the playoffs (in fact, I’m all for it), but I can understand why some people might have trepidation.

 

[doulos]

Players my friend. Players. The players all went back to their countries or provinces a few days after the pause. They are still there. They will be going to wherever the hub cities are.

I'm going to snap up any rookie cards of the first player from the moon!

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

If you're not concerned that's good. I have a different view.

Edit :

So if they are tested and isolated what is the issue?

 

[Delicious Pancakes]

Of course but, for the reasons I outlined, I don't see any reason to be concerned about hockey players locked in a bubble spreading infection throughout Edmonton.
As I said before, there's a better chance of you catching infection from a random person in public traveling from a nearby province.
Anyway, if you're worried then by all means...

I think the biggest concern is when players are in transit, especially when players fly into the hub city, or if there is exposure to workers/staff within the bubble who would then be going out into the community. For outings at a private golf course/movie theater as proposed in Edmonton's bid there ought to be no exposure to local persons.

The other thing is that people are supposed to follow the rules, however they don't always do that. There should be strict penalties for players/staff who don't adhere to the rules that are set up to keep teams within the bubble and the local population safe. I think if players got suspended for playoff games and players and teams both got fined for not adhering to safety protocols that would likely keep most people in line.

Once they're in the bubble though (assuming no players/staff are infected) it's much less of a concern like you said. However if somebody within the bubble catches the virus and then has to be treated at a local health facility then that adds to the burden of the local health system and provides a potential medium for community transmission. Having appropriate protocols that don't endanger the local population in these situations are imperative.

I'm also curious to see what the NHL's plan is for if a player or staff member does test positive. What testing will they be using and at what virus load do the tests indicate a positive for the virus? I personally know people in Edmonton and Calgary who were tested when they got sick and tested negative, then got tested again a few days later and tested positive. They could test players/staff they knew were exposed to a person who tested positive and get all negative tests and one or more of those people could have the virus and spread it while they are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. How do you play games when you may need to quarantine a whole team or two?

These are real concerns that need to be addressed.

PS - Also FWIW, I would be excited for Edmonton to be named a hub city assuming there were good safety measures in place. I'm not expecting the Oilers to be playing in Edmonton though.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Hard no to a play in during normal times. Baseball has fewer teams that make the playoffs. NHL has half the teams. Not in the top half? Then go golf and play better next year. Makes for a far more interesting regular season.

If anything reduce the amount of teams that make playoffs, make it more prestigious.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

If anything reduce the amount of teams that make playoffs, make it more prestigious.

I would like to see the top 2 teams from each division get in, with more divisional games and fewer conference games. Play everyone twice except for the teams in your division, who you would now play 8-9 times each. Every divisional game would be WW3 just like in the old Smythe Division days. Mind you fans would be sick of playing so many intradivisional games.

Regardless, with half the teams getting in and the loser point making near impossible to be a truly "bad" team unless you really really suck, I don't want anymore teams in the playoffs than what we have now. A "play-in" waters down the regular season completely and a 1 game or best of 3 means a goalie can win you a series rather than the best team wins.

 

[MessierII]

If anything reduce the amount of teams that make playoffs, make it more prestigious.

I’m not sure that lessening the amount of wins needed to win the cup makes it more prestigious. The playoffs are a long gruelling grind. Less teams actually makes it easier to win.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I’m not sure that lessening the amount of wins needed to win the cup makes it more prestigious. The playoffs are a long gruelling grind. Less teams actually makes it easier to win.

true, fair point. Although lately it seems like the first round is usually the best, maybe thats just cause im watching 2-3 games a night and in my happy place - on the couch, with a beer, watching hockey.