Not only has the AHL suspended their season, but now will go a step further. The league announced today that the remainder of the 2019-20 campaign has been canceled, there will be no playoffs and no Calder Cup awarded this year. AHL President David Andrews released a statement:
After a lengthy review process, the American Hockey League has determined that the resumption and completion of the 2019-20 season is not feasible in light of current conditions.
The League’s operational focus has turned toward actively preparing for the 2020-21 season.We are very grateful to the National Hockey League and its teams for their support and leadership in navigating through the challenges faced over the past two months.
The AHL continues to place paramount importance on the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans and all of their families, and we all look forward to returning to our arenas in 2020-21.
It is important to note that the AHL and NHL are technically independent operations even though they do work closely with each other. This announcement does not mean a similar one is coming from the NHL, though obviously it is a possibility as they traverse the unknown waters of the coronavirus outbreak.
This is the first time the Calder Cup will not be awarded since it was introduced in 1937. The Charlotte Checkers, last season’s Calder Cup winners, will hold the title for another year.
For minor league players, this now makes the next few months even more confusing. Though they will not be returning to play in the AHL, they could still potentially be recalled by their NHL affiliate to play in games should the season resume, or at least skate with the team as a “Black Ace.” Those are the players brought up to play and travel with the NHL club during the playoffs just in case of injury. Obviously that would be dependent on there actually being an NHL playoffs, something that is not certain at this point.
Unfortunately, the question now becomes what happens with the 2020-21 season. Andrews told Sportsnet radio that “it might be something dramatically different than what it looks like now” and told Michael Traikos of Postmedia that it would be unlikely the league would be able to play if there were no fans allowed in the stands. The AHL is almost entirely gate-driven, meaning without the revenue generated from ticket sales they wouldn’t be able to afford to stage games–at least, not an entire season’s worth.
this is why the NHL should fully own their farm system.
If you go by the highest coronavirus death count, which is about 80,000 deaths in the USA (a debatable figure, but lets go with it for now) and account for the U.S. population of 330 million people, you get a death percentage of 0.02%. Why on earth would a sports league be hesitant to have fans in the building come October when the numbers at the height of this “pandemic” are that low?
Numbers are one thing but siblings,parents anyone you know dies and you won’t just talk about numbers again
It’s 80K now and will only go up. The slowed pace could have something to do with the actions taken so if they lift all restrictions, we could be back at square one. I’ll tell you one thing: I wouldn’t want to be the guinea pig gathering before treatment and or a vaccine is imminent – I’m not sure you’d have many fan clamoring to fill the stands.
I wouldn’t be there either! But unfortunately Gbear and all his friends will be there, which will make me miss even more games because they won’t allow the curve to flatten! Guess I should just go drink some disinfectant and get over my fears!
The curve has been flattened, and isn’t that what the lockdowns were all about?
As for drinking disinfectants, if you’re stupid enough to actually do that, that speaks volumns about yourself.
As for people dying that are family or friends, it happens every year with influenza, yet no one shuts down society over that. And as for the measures taken to presumably slow the spread, over 60% of NY deaths are from people who sheltered on place according to Gov. Cuomo.
@Gbear – The death percentage is divided by the number of documented/suspected cases, not the entire population of the country. It has been said this is a nastier variation of SARS, so think of it as SARS with a *really bad attitude*, causing pneumonia and respiratory failure that the “normal” flu doesn’t. As for a vaccine, there are probably a few that are trying to get fast-tracked, but TESTING is mandatory. We can’t get into a “cure is worse than the disease” scenario here.
@MacJablonski – Beings it’s impossible to test everyone in a nation of 330 million people along with inaccuracy of testing (someone could test negative today but positive a few days later), the only real way to get an accurate picture is to look at the total populations death rate. And considering people dying with the virus but not because of the virus are often being listed as COVID-19 deaths, the current death numbers are likely way overinflated.
As for a vaccine, no vaccine has ever been produced to stop a coronavirus. While it would be great if one could be produced, keeping society in lockdown until that happens is untenable. And if the virus mutates before then, the vaccine will become of minimal use.
@Gbear – Pretty much every state is adjusting their confirmed/suspected case numbers based on additional examination, therefore you can only consider those numbers to base the death rate on. Regarding a vaccine and the very real possibility that this virus mutates, we both agree. If it turns into a chameleon virus, it will be extraordinarily difficult to get ahead of. And, we both agree that indefinite lock down will not work, and is already being thwarted by those who simply don’t care about the well-being of others. My local health department said our area hasn’t yet peaked and they do, in fact, expect a resurgence in a few months. We are going to see more chaos, until good medical news tells us that we can control and mitigate this. I just hope we don’t have to live our lives in hazmat suits from now on…
@MacJablonski – Problem is, healthy people generally don’t go to get tested, so basing fatality rates on only those being tested doesn’t give an accurate picture. Every death (or at least most) is determined as to what the cause of death is, so that’s as accurate a picture as you can get.
But all that said, if we create 20 to 30% unemployment rates in the process of dealing with this situation, there won’t be a society, let alone pro sports, to come back too.
@Gbear – It’s not the number of people tested, but rather the number of positive tests that the death rate must be based on. When it comes to comparing any illness or disease to the entire population, that context can be called the percentage of the population afflicted with the disease, but the death rate must always be based on the number of confirmed cases. And, you are so right about the very real potential for an out-of-control spiral of unemployment. Sports would be the least of our concerns should that not get under control real soon.
@MacJablonski – I don’t want to belabor the point, but if the majority of people going for testing do so due to showing symptoms but asymptomatic people do not get tested, you’re going to get skewed results. This is why many medical experts think that this virus has reached a far greater portion of the population then was previously assumed.
I’ll say this, if certain state and local leaders continue using infection rates instead of hospitalization rates to continue their lockdowns, you may start seeing team relocations. The Wheeling WV Red Wings? :D
@Gbear – “Wheeling WV Red Wings” or the Wheeling WV Wedd Wings”, featuring an even more popular mascot than Gritty: Elmer Fudd! :) No matter what, we frikkin’ NEED our hockey back! Like yesterday!