Return to NHL Season? Thread

[BenBreeg 493]

Works for me.

[marka 526]

Howdy,

9 hours ago, caveman27 said:

Yeah.  So I meant I don't want to pay for cable to get extra sports stations like NBC sports channel or for other paid subscription-based services, like NHLtv  I cut cable to save money.

I expect that the covid playoff games are going to be like any other hockey broadcast in the recent past.  Unfortunately, other than over the air broadcast in your particular area, if you want to legally watch hockey "in market" the only way to do that is to pay for cable/the right channels or to go to the game / someplace else that pays for such.

It would be great if there was a way to legally watch in market games streamed over the internet.  But that's not a thing, yet.

Mark

[IPv6Freely 2092]

10 hours ago, caveman27 said:

Yeah.  So I meant I don't want to pay for cable to get extra sports stations like NBC sports channel or for other paid subscription-based services, like NHLtv  I cut cable to save money.

Oh, bummer. I cut cable also but subscribe to stuff like NHL, HBO, Etc. 

[chippa13 1844]

The 24 team format gives those teams with a potential to have won their way into the playoffs a chance to do so. It makes deadline deals mean something for those bubble teams. It makes conditional picks mean something. We already lost that potential last week surge, the win and you're in on the final day of the season excitement. We lost the excitement of watching that unlikely bubble team claw their way in. The 24 team format gives some of that back. It isn't perfect but it is better than than just calling the season at 70. It forces those teams just in at the break to earn their way into the playoffs, just like the last 3-4 weeks of the season would have done. Could there be some freak Cinderella story where a 12 team shocks everybody and turns the whole thing upside down? Sure. The "purists" will rail and cry and the rest of us will relish in the fun and excitement that it creates.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

The 70-game schedule would have given the bubble teams a chance too. Oh well. Leave it to the NHL to over complicate it and add a whole extra round instead of other options that exclude teams that don’t deserve a playoff spot, includes teams that were on the bubble, can be done much quicker, and ends up being more fair for everyone overall.

But, realistically the 24-team option makes more money so... It’s not surprising.

[chippa13 1844]

The glaring problem with the "70 game schedule", you're going to ask the majority of teams to start the playoffs without having shot a puck in anger in 4-5 months. The other issue is the fact that it barely, if at all, gives the bubble teams a chance. Unless you were 4 or less points out then you're being shut out, even though you could have had a favorable final 12 game slate that could have seen you leapfrog into a spot. Creating a kind of "play-in" round while the top teams tune up against each other creates an equitable way to decide who gets in and also gets everyone's legs pumping so that when the playoffs start we don't end up watching shit hockey.

And yes, there is a money aspect to consider. The league lost a ton over the last 2 months so of course they are going to try and come up with a way that adds competition and gets essentially the same amount of teams involved as would have been had the final 12 games been played. Don't be surprised when the NBA comes up with a similar plan. After all, they are all in the entertainment business.

 

[caveman27 208]

I wonder what they'll do about having emergency back-up goalies available during these squeezed together playoff games. It would be difficult for some teams to call up a guy from the minors to fly to wherever they are playing to make it to a game that is starting in a couple hours.

[chippa13 1844]

It would make sense for teams to have a "non-roster" goalie on hand from their organization should anything happen.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

There was talk of expanded rosters just for injuries. It helps that the AHL isn’t playing. There were reports of AHL players being told to be ready to join the big club.

[SirJW 207]

If the stands are going to be empty I'd rather see the games played in Major Junior and D1 Rinks. The camera angles and acoustics of a smaller place would sound better on tv.  

[BenBreeg 493]

Well, the NHL is nothing more than a business.  If there weren't fans to reach that appealed to advertisers in addition to attendance, it would be on the same tier as less popular sports.  I disagree about smaller rinks and camera angles, the closer you get the more extreme the angles unless you have multiple cameras and switching which is weird for hockey.

This format is fine, you can't please everyone.  There will always be bubble teams that people could play woulda coulda with.

[chippa13 1844]

7 hours ago, SirJW said:

If the stands are going to be empty I'd rather see the games played in Major Junior and D1 Rinks. The camera angles and acoustics of a smaller place would sound better on tv.  

One thing the league is wrestling with is how to deal with all of the salty language that will be a lot easier to hear without fan noise to drown it out. It will be fun for those of us that play to hear the chirps and such but they're worried about the "family fun".

[Stewie 721]

I’m ok with the format. The league was quite bunched up for the last playoff spots, especially when you count the uneven amount of games played by teams. The only team that is part of this bracket that I don’t believe had a real legitimate shot of making the playoffs in a full season was Montreal, and Chicago would’ve had a hard path as well. I think a better system in my opinion would’ve been 11 teams, with 5 guaranteed slots and 6 teams playing in the play in round. 

[marka 526]

Howdy,

I'll be totally happy with this format if one of two things happen:

1) Pens win the cup.

2) Pens get the 1st pick.

🙂

Mark

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

The format makes sense. I'd imagine the TV contracts probably look to have a regular season and playoff season fall under one year on an annual basis. Starting hockey in the summer should be part of the 2019-2020 season. If anything, it would be nice to have hockey start and end later. But that is someone who watches all sports but likes baseball the least. Having summer hockey would be nice and there are plenty of sports during the fall. Interesting times ahead.

[caveman27 208]

20 hours ago, SirJW said:

If the stands are going to be empty I'd rather see the games played in Major Junior and D1 Rinks. The camera angles and acoustics of a smaller place would sound better on tv.  

They scrubbed the idea of playing in smaller arenas because they'll want four big locker rooms and the space to accommodate four teams so they can schedule back to back games. You've probably seen the behind the scenes videos of equipment managers moving a bunch of crates to out-of-town games with everything: skate sharpening machine, tools, sticks, all the players equipment bags plus extra spare protective equipment and parts, extra jerseys, etc.

[caveman27 208]

10 hours ago, marka said:

Howdy,

I'll be totally happy with this format if one of two things happen:

1) Pens win the cup.

2) Pens get the 1st pick.

🙂

Mark

Ha ha.

Sidney Crosby should be fully healed and recovered from his surgery by now.

[BenBreeg 493]

5 hours ago, caveman27 said:

Ha ha.

Sidney Crosby should be fully healed and recovered from his surgery by now.

And quite possibly Guentzel, which would be huge if he can get back in form quickly enough.

[caveman27 208]

5 hours ago, BenBreeg said:

And quite possibly Guentzel, which would be huge if he can get back in form quickly enough.

Yeah. If he was 50/50 back in mid-April, he should be close to 100% now.

[SirJW 207]

Little tidbits of movement.

https://nypost.com/2020/05/30/nhls-attempt-to-change-popular-rule-may-spark-restart-tension/

[caveman27 208]

Interesting details when NHL gets back to playing games.

https://nhl.bamcontent.com/images/assets/binary/317017544/binary-file/file.pdf

 

No sharing of water bottles. Use of a water bottle or Gatorade in the penalty box is thrown away after a player leaves the penalty box. No sharing of towels. Every surface in locker rooms, showers, benches, workout rooms, etc. have to be sanitized. Ton of rules.

[caveman27 208]

The NHL cleared the way Thursday for players to return to practice rinks next week and firmed up its playoff format even as a ninth player tested positive for the coronavirus.

After unveiling the final details of its 24-team plan if the season is able to resume this summer, the league said teams could reopen facilities and players could take part in limited, voluntary workouts beginning Monday. The NHL and NHL Players' Association must still iron out health and safety protocols before moving ahead with training camps and games.

Players can skate in groups of up to six at a time under ''phase 2,'' which includes specific instructions on testing, mask-wearing and temperature checks. It's another step closer to the ice after the league said every playoff series will be a best-of-seven format after the initial qualifying round and teams will be reseeded throughout.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl-finalizes-playoff-format-pens-player-tests-positive-192403195--nhl.html

 

 

[SirJW 207]

Lots of details still need to be worked out. 

https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/the-nhls-remaining-hurdles-for-restart-after-phase-3-agreement/

[caveman27 208]

9 hours ago, SirJW said:

Lots of details still need to be worked out. 

https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/the-nhls-remaining-hurdles-for-restart-after-phase-3-agreement/

I kind of wonder how ill the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder players after they contracted COVID-19. They all survived.

[marka 526]

Howdy,

Boy it would be pretty craptactular if you were an NHL player who doesn't get picked up next season or the season after that, and because of extending the escrow payback time, you actually had to pay back money in the years following when you stopped playing...

I bet there are going to be some players that get financially pinched by this whole deal, just like some owners.

Mark