Despite the hopes and dreams of fans around the NHL, the agreed-upon return-to-play conditions and extended CBA is not likely to include any kind of amnesty clause, per TSN’s Bob McKenzie. The assumption that the salary cap will hold at $81.5MM for the next two seasons gave rise to some speculation that the stagnant cap would be augmented by an amnesty provision, but it appears teams will be stuck with the contracts they’ve got on the books. For the Calgary Flames, that means Milan Lucic, writes Todd Cordell of Hockey Buzz. Lucic has three more years on his deal worth $5.25MM per season. The 32-year-old Lucic hardly set the world on fire in his first season in Calgary, notching just 20 points (8 goals, 12 assists) across 68 games. The Flames acquired Lucic and a conditional 3rd round pick for winger James Neal after one disappointing season in Calgary produced just seven goals. The money owed Lucic isn’t exorbitant, but it’s not an ideal price tag for an aging winger entering his mid-thirties. Lucic still played a role on the Flames’ third line, but his days as a 40-60 point scorer appear behind him. Additionally, it’s unclear right now if the Flames will actually receive the third-round pick. To get the pick in this year’s draft, Neal had to score at least 21 goals and record 10 more goals than Lucic. The second condition was qualified, but Neal scored just 19 goals – in a shortened season. Common sense would look at those numbers and say Neal was going to qualify both conditions, but it’s not entirely clear.
- When the NHL returns to television, the game may look the same – except for the leagues of empty seats in the background – but the audio experience may provide an even more jarring change, per Kevin McGran of The Star. Without access to players, the play-by-play commentators are likely to call games from a studio instead of the arena, and in terms of sideline reporting, well, there won’t be any. Studios are still working on the best way to pump in ambient sound, whether that’s highlighting sounds from the ice or using some kind of fan track. The most entertaining option would almost certainly be to mic the players, but that would require players to curb their vulgarity, which, in the heat of the moment, might be too great an ask.
- Libor Hajek of the New York Rangers has hired Octagon as his representation, tweets agent Allan Walsh. The young blueliner appeared in 28 games for the Rangers this season, recording five assists but no goals. Walsh also represents NHL players like Marc-Andre Fleury and Brock Boeser.
that Neal trade was a get out of jail free card for Edmonton it seems
I think after we are passed this season,there will an economic puddle that they both the NHL clubs and NHL PA need help with. I’ve offered two buyouts per team with zero penalties against future cap and a forgiveness plan that eliminates all future penalties against the cap.
Clubs who then sign players after they have been bought out are subject to a full payment on their new deal and cannot be bought out twice.
And the owners,gm’s and players laugh in your face
“The most entertaining option would almost certainly be to mic the players, but that would require players to curb their vulgarity…”
Why?
Can’t we, as a society, evolve beyond the idea that out of 171,000 words in the English language, 6 to 12 of them are “bad”?
As goofy as it is, pro sports broadcasters are going to have to do some version of the “fan wall” like the NFL did during the draft. Get 12-30 fans from each team on Skype and pipe them through with audio and video to react after goals.
Agreed. If they can say the S-H-brown word in the Avengers movies, they can surely deal with some F’ing and Jeffing during the playoffs.
Or at least they can go down the Edited for TV route and overdub them to say things like “nice hit your mother father” “such a dentist” “go fill your shelf”
I think putting a mic on the players is a terrible idea because in the heat of the moment it won’t just be F bombs or other “bad” words. There will be specific digs at wives, girlfriends etc. that will destroy careers when a line is crossed and with the hyper sensitive society we live in, that line is never far away for public figures.
Leipsic signed in the KHL so it should be OK.
Russian women tend to be skinny so he should be fine there.
“Drop that TV before I blow your (gosh darn knees off, Egg Roll).”