The NHL is still targeting a January start for the upcoming season, but there is still a lot of work to be done between the league and NHLPA. As reported by Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com, Commissioner Gary Bettman spoke today about some of the things still being discussed, including the idea of hubs where teams would enter a city and “play for 10 to 12 days” without any travel, and then return home. Players have been very clear about the fact that they will not agree to a season-long bubble away from their families, and Bettman confirmed that he will not ask them to.
The idea of realignment has also come up extensively around the hockey world in recent weeks, especially in regard to the seven Canadian teams. Bettman confirmed that it was being discussed, though specifically mentioned how it also wouldn’t make much sense to have teams from Florida travel to California either. A “Canadian Division” is getting plenty of headlines, but it seems likely that there will be other geographical realignments as well given the different restrictions throughout the United States.
Of course one of the most important things for the league to decide will be how many games actually get played in the upcoming regular season. Though they have tried to maintain the goal of fitting in 82, there have been obvious doubts that is practical and Bettman himself suggested that the league is contemplating a reduced schedule.
None of what Bettman said today provides any real answers for hockey fans looking forward to next season, but there are hints to what it might look like. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia also reports that deputy commissioner Bill Daly sent a memo to each NHL team today saying that the league and NHLPA hope to make a recommendation to the board of governors on Thursday on the start date, maintaining that “the objective remains to start as early as January 1.” The memo included that the league is hoping to get back onto a regular calendar for 2021-22.
I’d like to know where they getting money to do all of this. NBC doesn’t pay them much. No ticket revenue. I’m betting owners say no until they can sell half their tickets at least.
They would have to play in cities(states) that allow fans. Or even bubbles where they do not have NHL franchises but do allow fans.
I’ve said this before,you are going to need AHL bubbles as well.
They can always play AHL games in the practice facilities. So you are looking at bubbles with superior 4-6 sheet practice rinks. Boston,Ana,Min,Pit,Phi just to name a few.
Also a city that cannot monopolize the NHL arena. Boston,NYR,WAS,PHI,CHI,etc all share with NBA clubs-providing that they also may bubble.
Without an AHL season for Seattle to properly scout,I would think a possibility of pushing Seattle back one season with a restructure of exposed players could come into play.
A CDN bubble is a possibility. To allow clubs family time is going to be huge. And how many days is that? Rotating thru a bubble with 7 other clubs and home? Bubble 20 days,home 5.
Hockey in the USA is not widely supported so it is very likely a season for 20/21 is a no go. If it goes I can see 4 regional divisions with cross over games until the playoff rounds.
A Canadian bubble makes no sense as they’d have to find a way to move teams in and out during the playoffs. Canadian teams should move their base of operations south of the border for 20-21. Hockey fans in Canada might not like that, but it would be the leagues best chance going forward. The winner of the Canadian division would have to come to the US to play in later rounds of the playoffs. Why hold things up waiting for them to quarantine when you could already have them in the
US?