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Latest On NHL’s Hub City Plan

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The NHL still doesn’t have a concrete idea of when or how the season will resume, but continue to work on potential options for a restart. One of those is a “hub city” proposal, where teams would gather in one location to play games in front of empty arenas. Gary Bettman spoke this morning, and Nick Cotsonika of NHL.com relayed his most important points. Among them is the idea that the league continues to look at “eight or nine different places” that would be able to host up to a dozen teams in one location. That would need ample hotel and practice facilities, obviously ruling out some markets in North America.

On Sportsnet radio today, Chris Johnston explained that he has heard the two leading candidate cities are Las Vegas and Columbus, though there is still work to do on both fronts. Johnston does explain that the league and NHLPA are “getting closer to having the actual format essentially nailed down.”

The two-city hub idea would have each conference split to complete some play-in games before a regular playoffs and would allow the league to operate without dealing with multiple state, provincial or federal governments. Remember, as Cotsonika writes, 17 percent of the league’s players are currently outside of North America and will likely need a quarantine period following their return.

Both Johnston and Bettman focus on testing as the biggest question the league has to solve before anything can come back. The commissioner explained that the amount of tests is a “fundamental question” though he did sound optimistic about the increased capacity.

To be clear, nothing has been announced officially from the league at this point on which cities would be used as hubs. As with anything related to coronavirus contingencies, a new outbreak or wave could immediately change (or scrap) any plans.

NHL, NHLPA Making Progress On 24-Team Playoff Format

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With plenty of options available to the NHL when it comes to resuming play, progress is being made towards a possible playoff format. According to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, the Return to Play Committee is leaning towards a 24-team playoff format to wrap up the 2019-20 season.

LeBrun reports, however, that there is quite a bit of work still to be done if a 24-team playoff is to become a reality, but there has been significant progress made this weekend. Talks are expected to continue over the next couple of days with the potential that a plan will officially be outlined next week as both sides are much closer on what a return to action might look like. Of course, once the Return to Play Committee does come to an agreement, it must pass through the NHL Executive Board and be approved.

On top of that, there is a Board on Governors meeting on Monday. Whether NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will have a deal ready to pass on by then is unknown unless the Return to Play Committee can come to an agreement in the next 24 hours.

The still-developing plan would not be a straight-to-the-playoffs format, however. According to LeBrun, the league will likely have some games before the playoffs would begin, likely to ease teams into playing shape after the significant break due to COVID-19. There is also the issue on whether all players will be on board to returning to action later this year as it is believed some are seriously concerned about the health and safety issues that surround a return to play.

While there are a number of 24-team format options, LeBrun writes in a separate story that there has been some opposition to a 24-team tournament, especially with teams like Chicago (32-30-8 for 72 points) and Montreal (31-31-9 for 71 points) being the last two teams to enter into the playoffs when they don’t deserve it and the concerns that a hot start after a long break could create some significant upsets in this format.

League Notes: Bettman, Draft, PWHPA

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Canceling the 2019-20 NHL season without awarding the Stanley Cup is not something commissioner Gary Bettman is “even considering” according to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Bettman was confident in his answers that this season would be completed at some point, even if it does appear more and more likely that any resumption of play would move directly into a playoff.

Other reports have emerged, like the one from Adrian Dater of Colorado Hockey Now, indicating that Arizona could be a hub to host playoff games at some point. That comes after the state’s governor announced that major league sports will be able to operate after Friday, May 15th. That very clearly does not mean that the NHL will be jumping back onto the ice in Arizona this weekend, but it does mean there may be a path forward for the state to host some games in the future—especially considering Bettman’s confidence that the season will resume.

  • As for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, deputy commissioner Bill Daly had his own update. Daly told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) that they will likely have some news to announce next week on when the draft will be held. A June draft before the completion of the season, which at one point seemed inevitable, has lost momentum recently but is still an option for the league. Of course, the draft will be virtual and is not expected to be held in Montreal as originally planned.
  • Though not exactly a league, the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association has announced some changes in its own structure for the upcoming season. After spending a year touring the continent playing showcase tournaments, the PWHPA will now focus on five regional training hubs for their members based in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, New Hampshire and Minnesota. There will now be try-outs for each training group (which will consist of 25 players) and they will be provided with additional resources.

IOC, IIHF Open To Making Major Olympic Concessions To NHL

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If it means the top players in the world return to Olympic participation, the International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation are open to changing their relationship with the NHL. In a new and potentially game-changing shift in the status quo, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that the IOC and IIHF have decided that they would be willing to meet many of the demands previously made by the NHL in order to ensure the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, China feature NHL talent.

Friedman reports that the two global organizations met in New York earlier this week and came to the conclusion that NHL participation would be worth ceding promotional rights and contributing greater financial assistance to the league. This would include paying injury insurance costs, as well as travel costs, as well as allowing the NHL to market their stars’ participation in the Winter Games, including the use of Olympic footage and marks. This checks all the boxes for the league’s previous demands for returning to the Olympics. As for their final complaint, that the Games are disruptive to the season, that argument has been considerably weakened by the league’s bye week format, which reduces game play by 50% in the weeks on either side of the All-Star break. If the league is comfortable with that break every year, it stands to reason that a slightly longer break once every four years is not “incredibly disruptive”.

With that said, the league is unlikely to accept these new terms with the IOC and IIHF without also gaining some leverage with the NHLPA as well. The NHL maintains the Olympic participation is a concession to the players and should be part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly stated recently that even if the IOC and IIHF gave in to all of their demands – which it appears they have – the NHL would still like to tie the event to collective bargaining as part of balanced agreement with the Players’ Association for long-term labor peace. While the current CBA extends through 2022, making the argument for the Beijing Games moot, allowing NHL players to participate would still be a bargaining tool for the next agreement. Friedman reports that NHLPA is in fact encouraged by this latest development with the IOC and IIHF and does not seem opposed to making Olympic participation a bargained right for players moving forward. The NHL and NHLPA resume collective bargaining talks this Tuesday.

The IIHF had previously given the NHL a deadline of no later than the end of August 2020 to make a decision about Beijing 2022. Yet, Commissioner Gary Bettman responded that the NHL will make a decision when they are ready, not when they are told to. At the end of the day, the league has all of the leverage in talks with the international bodies. However, these concessions are a major step forward in a new agreement and the world’s top player returning to its biggest international stage. With many of their concerns now addressed, not to mention the global growth of the NHL brand in recent years, the odds are higher than they have ever been that the league will return to the Olympic Games.

Bettman Speaks On Tracking Technology, Nassau Coliseum, Olympics, And More

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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman addressed the gathered media at the NHL All-Star Game in St. Louis this evening, speaking on a variety of topics. The long-time leader of the league had plenty to say, including confirming a 2021 All-Star weekend hosted by the Florida Panthers and introducing the league’s All-Decade teams. Here are some notes on other topics that Bettman touched on:

  • Player and puck tracking will become a reality in the NHL in the not too distant future. Bettman announced that the tracking technology will be available in all 16 arenas for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs and is likely to be operational in every NHL arena for the start of the 2020-21 season. The tracking data will allow for more accurate and polished statistics and game scoring, as well allowing for new stats and data visualizations that will further advance hockey analytics.
  • The question of which arenas will have tracking this spring will depend on how the rest of the season plays out. However, one team is already being forced to focus on where they might play should they make the playoffs. Bettman stated that a decision has not yet been made as to whether the New York Islanders will play their postseason games at the Nassau Coliseum, the preferred location of the team, or the Barclay’s center. Bettman called Nassau a “challenge” and that it is not a major league facility, which would cause problems if the Islanders made a deep playoff run. Bettman also acknowledged that a request has been made for New York to play all of their home games at Nassau Coliseum next season, but believes it is too early to make that decision.
  • One thing it is not too early for is continuing CBA talks. Bettman said that the league is expecting to go resume negotiations on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NHLPA soon, after enough progress was made back in September that both sides decided not to use their opt-out clauses. There is plenty of time before the current CBA expires in 2022, but Bettman and company are eager to build on positive talks and get a new deal in place.
  • A bargaining issue that the NHL continues to hold firm on is Olympic participation. Bettman noted today that the league’s opinion that attending the Games is “extraordinarily disruptive” has not changed. He acknowledged that the players’ association would like to return to the Olympics, but that the league is comfortable without participating in Beijing in 2022. Bettman has not completely closed the door on the idea, but does not want to spread “false hope”. He added that the league will make a decision on their own time and will not abide by any deadline provided by the IIHF.
  • Another major league change that has the support of many, but not the NHL itself, is a change to the current playoff format. Bettman revealed that there have been no talks of altering the current postseason structure, even in a season with drastic competitive balance differences between divisions. The upcoming addition of the Seattle expansion team is not expected to change the playoff format either.

2021 All-Star Game To Be Held In Florida

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Friday: The league has officially confirmed that next year’s All-Star festivities will take place in Sunrise, Florida. Commissioner Gary Bettman added that there are discussions about adding “international flavor” to the events, possibly hinting at the return of the North America vs. World format or perhaps a new international tournament.

Tuesday: The Florida Panthers will host the 2021 NHL All-Star Game, according to George Richards of The Athletic. The event is expected to take place on January 29-30, just before the Super Bowl is held in Tampa.

The Panthers have hosted the All-Star festivities once before, back in 2003. That was in the middle of a disappointing season for the team where they finished in 24th place, a rank they will obviously try to eclipse this time around. The team had just one All-Star representative in 2003, Olli Jokinen, though Sandis Ozolinsh was actually selected for the game just before a trade to the Anaheim Ducks.

With Joel Quenneville at the helm and several top players in their prime, the Panthers could have more than just one representative next season. Jonathan Huberdeau and his 64 points will be there this year, but Aleksander Barkov, Evgenii Dadonov, Keith Yandle, Aaron Ekblad and others all have the ability to hit the ice at the mid-season celebration.

IIHF Notes: Olympics, Russia, World Juniors

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Speaking on the final day of the 2020 World Junior Championship tournament earlier today, IIHF President Rene Fasel revealed updates on several issues of note. When it comes to the NHL, the major issue continues to be Olympic participation, and Fasel was clear that the clock is ticking on a decision for the Beijing Winter Games in 2022. The Hockey News’ Ryan Kennedy relays that Fasel would like a definitive answer prior to the final qualification games for the next Olympic tournament, which will take place in September. He has requested an answer by the end of August. While Olympic participation has been a major talking point in collective bargaining discussions between the NHL and NHLPA, those talks have cooled since both sides opted to extend the current agreement. It remains to be seen if and when the issue will be debated again in the next nine months. The NHL sat out the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, citing the disruption of the league season  – both in scheduling and potential player injuries – and the lack of financial benefit to the NHL. While neither of those issues are going away, one has to think that locale has amplified these negative effects of participation, as the NHL clearly didn’t see much value in Pyeongchang, South Korea and quite possibly might feel the same about Beijing, China in 2022 and Milan and Cortina, Italy in 2026. Yet, Fasel still feels optimistic about the NHL’s return to the Olympics, stating that if Commissioner Gary Bettman is smart, “They will come in the end, I hope so.”

  • As for another important international tournament in hockey, Fasel confirmed that the World Junior Championships will not be impacted by the recent four-year ban on international participation placed on Russia by the World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA placed the ban on Russia, which was similarly prohibited from participation at the last Winter Olympics, after evidence emerged that the country tampered with hundreds of samples and also engaged in improper behavior toward whistle-blowers. The ban prevents any Russian athlete implicated in a positive doping test from participation in major international events, requires all others to compete as “Authorized Neutral Athletes”, and bans Russia from hosting any international events. However, these sanctions will by and large not impact the WJC. Not only did Russia participate in this year’s tournament under their own flag, but they will play for a gold medal today against Canada. The country will continue to participate as such and Fasel also added that they will still be able to host the event in Novosibirsk and Omsk in 2023. Of course, any players found to be doping will still be prohibited from participating, but otherwise the Russian entry into the top junior tournament will be safe.
  • As for this year’s tournament, while the results of the bronze medal and gold medal games are still yet to be decided today, this morning’s contest had the more important result as it pertains to planning for next year. Germany and Kazakhstan played a winner-take-all relegation match earlier, after Kazakhstan stunned Germany in Game Two of the series on Saturday with their first non-regulation loss result of the entire tournament. However, Germany shook off that loss with a convincing 6-0 win on Sunday morning to avoid relegation. As quickly as they re-entered the top level of World Junior participation this year, Kazakhstan will head back down next year. They will be replaced by Austria in 2021, the surprise victor of the “A” class tournament back in December.

Minnesota Wild To Host 2021 Winter Classic

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The Winter Classic is headed north. After the success that the event has been so far in Dallas, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the Minnesota Wild will host in 2021. The game will be held on January 1st at Target Field where the MLB’s Minnesota Twins play. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues have been discussed as possible opponents.

It has been a long wait for the State of Hockey, seemingly the perfect place for an outdoor game thanks to the strong fanbase and climate in Minnesota. The Wild have played in a single outdoor game, the 2016 Stadium Series matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. Bettman released a statement about next year’s game:

The Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic is about taking hockey back to its outdoor roots – and there is no better place to celebrate the incredible strength surrounding our game than in Minnesota. The Minnesota Wild organization and their fans in the Twin Cities and across the state have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to host the NHL’s New Year’s showcase and we are thrilled to be bringing next year’s game to Target Field.

Though the opponent won’t be announced for some time, fans can already start making plans to find their way down to the ballpark for some New Year’s Day hockey.

Latest On Salary Cap Ceiling For 2020-21

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Though NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wouldn’t give a specific salary cap range estimate for the 2020-21 season, Pierre LeBrun took the pulse of the league’s board of governors. LeBrun shared those thoughts on TSN today:

They had their interpretation of what they heard from Gary Bettman. A number of different ranges, but one governor saying to me that the low range is $82.5MM, which is just $1MM more than the current cap of $81.5MM. That’s what his team will budget for, and if it is higher so be it, but they are going to be conservative. I had another governor tell me $83.5MM is what he thinks it is probably going to be. I think teams are going to be cautious this time around.

Given how the range of cap predictions from this time last year didn’t come true, you can see why a team might lean a little more conservative this time around. Any movement in the salary cap will be hugely welcomed however, as more than half the league has had to dip into long-term injured reserve to stay compliant at various period this season. An increase of $3MM however could be almost a game-changing amount at this point.

With restricted free agent salaries skyrocketing and an unrestricted free agent class that may include players like Taylor Hall, Braden Holtby and Alex Pietrangelo, there will be plenty hoping for some extra space. Specifically, teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights who had to sacrifice real assets to get under the cap ceiling at the start of this year would be relieved to know they have a bit more room.

Potential 2021 World Cup Of Hockey Cancelled

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The NHL had been hoping to pull off another World Cup of Hockey in February of 2021, but commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters today including Chris Johnston of Sportsnet that the idea is now dead. The league will hold an All-Star game instead, though Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic notes that it could potentially be in the style of an international competition of some sort. The last World Cup was held in 2016 and was considered a success by many, with the youthful Team North America and a Ralph Krueger-led Team Europe both connecting with fans across the league.

With the NHL pulling out of the last Winter Olympics, players and fans voiced their displeasure regarding the lack of a real best-on-best tournament. The IIHF World Championship only includes part of the NHL as many teams are still in the playoffs. The World Cup did represent a best-on-best format, however there were obviously some logistical issues that needed to be solved. For one, having it just before the season began risked injury for players, something Matt Murray experienced first hand. Murray suffered a broken hand in the tournament and missed the first part of the 2016-17 season, just a few months after winning his first Stanley Cup.

Because the league still very much intends on having a World Cup at some point, this news will bring up the question of participation in the next Olympics once again. The players have expressed that they want to go, but the league hasn’t changed their official stance on participation. Because the Olympics are not a league-run entity, the NHL feels as though the disruption to the regular season is too great. The World Cup, a joint effort between the NHL and NHLPA, would not be considered so. The next Winter Games are scheduled for February, 2022 in Beijing, China.

For now, we’ll have to wait to see what happens next for the World Cup and whether or not Team North America and Team Europe are one-time memories.

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