NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2020

by | Apr 10, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 10, 2020

Update on the NHL’s plans to resume the season if possible, plus the latest on Colby Cave, Dougie Hamilton and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

TSN: While NHL commissioner Gary Bettman recently acknowledged the possibility of the league having to scrap the rest of the regular-season schedule, Pierre LeBrun reports the priority remains to hold regular-season contests before the playoffs. “Whether that’s 82 (games) – probably not – 78, 76, 74, all possibilities mentioned on that call,” said LeBrun.

Darren Dreger reported a flash poll of NHL general managers found 20 GMs supported a best-of-five series from the opening round through the Conference Finals, but they’d still want a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most NHL fans and pundits (including myself) believe this season is likely over in its entirety. I daresay those at NHL headquarters and the brain trust at the NHL Players Association understands this could happen.

But as I’ve frequently pointed out, as long as there’s a chance to salvage part of this season to recoup some of their lost revenue and crown a Stanley Cup champion, the league and the PA – with the full blessing of the team owners and the players – will consider every option.

ESPN.COM: Greg Wyshynski reports Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said his club is looking into staging home games that would include a limited number of fans should the regular-season resume later this year. Waddell indicated it’s part of several options the club is exploring, including returning with no fans in the building.

Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell (Photo via NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes probably aren’t the only NHL club considering such choices.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ken Campbell wonders what the NHL will do about this season’s conditional trades if the season prematurely ends and those conditions can’t be met.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Plenty of speculation and suggestions from some in the media, but the league insists it’s too early to address that issue. Nevertheless, I expect that will become a larger issue if it becomes apparent the rest of the season could be canceled.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: Santa Clara County executive officer Dr. Jeffrey Smith recently told the county’s Board of Supervisors he didn’t expect sports to resume until at least the American Thanksgiving weekend in November. That would mean no games for the San Jose Sharks and the NFL’s San Francisco ’49ers, among others.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: If that turns out to be the case, kiss the 2019-20 NHL season goodbye.

SPORTSNET: Edmonton Oilers forward Colby Cave remains in a medically induced coma following surgery on Tuesday to remove a colloid cyst that was causing pressure on his brain.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Cave pulls through and makes a complete recovery.

Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton would be ready to play if the NHL seasons resumes later this year. Hamilton suffered a broken left leg in January.

OTTAWA SUN: Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki said he expects to be able to play his club’s remaining regular-season games if the schedule should resume. He was sidelined by an ankle injury when the league went on hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Rather than return to the Oilers, forward Anton Slepyshev re-signed a two-year deal with the KHL’s CSKA Moscow.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Journal’s Jim Matheson speculated the Oilers were offering up a one-year deal. Looks like Shepyshev wants the security of a multi-year deal. He also probably received more money to stay in Moscow than he would’ve got from the Oilers.

NBC SPORTS: After adopting the ’80s hit “Gloria” as a theme song last season, the St. Louis Blues players have opted this year for the Eddie Murphy tune “Party All The Time.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: You can bet that’s what they’ll do if they repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: Former Blackhawks captain Pat Stapleton suffered a stroke on Wednesday and passed away at the age of 79. “Whitey”, as he was nicknamed, spent eight seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks from 1965-66 to 1972-73, and was a member of Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. He also spent five seasons in the WHA. In 10 NHL seasons, Stapleton tallied 43 goals and 337 points in 635 games.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to Stapleton’s family, friends, and former teammates.










NHL Up and Down the Boards – Bruins, Golden Knights Tops on Very Early 2021 Stanley Cup Odds

by | Apr 10, 2020

NHL Up and Down the Boards – Bruins, Golden Knights Tops on Very Early 2021 Stanley Cup Odds

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2020

by | Apr 9, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 9, 2020

A suggestion to determine the final standings for the 2020 playoffs, the unlikely hope of summer playoff hockey, an update on the Senators with COVID-19 and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

TSN: Frank Seravalli suggests a 68-game rollback could be a fair way of determining positioning for a standard 16-team playoff bracket. “Under this plan, only each of the team’s first 68 games of the season would count for the playoff standings,” writes Seravalli. “Eight teams would have three games negated, 11 teams, two each; and 10 teams, one each.” He points out the same 16 teams that would qualify under points percentage would also qualify under this scenario.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Ken Warren looked at what could be the NHL’s faint hope of completing the season during the summer in neutral sites. He cites the difficulty in protecting players plus team, arena, and hotel staff. There is also the issue of the cities involved exempting the NHL from physical distancing guidelines and how local health facilities would be utilized to test players.

“Yet if there’s any hope for the NHL to recoup some dollars from their enormous advertising and TV broadcast deals, the league isn’t going to quietly skate away without exploring any and all options,” writes Warren.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The logistics of pulling off neutral-site games are daunting, but not impossible. Nevertheless, the course of this pandemic will determine the viability of staging those contests. Contrary to popular belief, the league and the NHL Players Association aren’t delusional. They’re well aware that the longer this goes, the less likely their chances of salvaging the season. But until that door slams shut, they’re going to consider every possibility.

OTTAWA SUN: Some good news from the Ottawa Senators. Head coach D.J. Smith said the five players who tested positive for COVID-19 have fully recovered.

TSN: Veteran NHL linesman Scott Driscoll hopes he hasn’t called his final game. The 28-year veteran was set to retire after officiating 1,850 NHL games. He had three more to go when the schedule was paused by the coronavirus.

SPORTSNET: CCM Hockey, alongside many of its star endorsees, are donating 500,000 surgical masks to front-line medical personnel battling the coronavirus. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon, Montreal’s Carey Price, and Toronto’s John Tavares are among the players contributing to the donation.

RDS: Former NHL star Vincent Lecavalier said the current pause to the schedule reminded him of the uncertainty he and his peers faced during the 2004-05 lockout. “For a hockey player, the hardest part is the fact that there is no date for a return to play,” said Lecavalier. “The players are used to a calendar: in the summer we know that it’s two months to train before resuming action. At the moment, they cannot even skate or be with their coaches.”

NHL.COM: Rimouski Oceanic forward Alexis Lafreniere topped the NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of North American prospects for the 2020 Draft. Left wing Tim Stuetzle of Mannheim in Germany’s top professional league is No. 1 in the final list of International skaters.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2020

by | Apr 8, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 8, 2020

League commissioner Gary Bettman admits finishing the regular season might not be possible, Oilers forward Colby Cave in a medically-induced coma, plus the latest on Sergei Bobrovsky, Jeff Skinner and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

SPORTSNET: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman admitted finishing the regular season might not be possible, though he stressed many options are under consideration. One could see games played at neutral sites if teams aren’t allowed to play in their home arenas. It could take at least a couple of more weeks for clarity on how the pandemic affects all 31 NHL markets.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman admits completing the regular season might not be possible (Photo via NHL.com).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: While NHL fans and pundits are calling upon Bettman to cancel the season and the playoffs, the league and the NHLPA are determined to salvage the rest of the schedule. Failing that, they’ll attempt to stage the Stanley Cup playoffs in some format during the summer.

Of course, it’ll depend upon how long it takes before the pandemic has run its course and is eventually contained. If the current situation persists through the summer, Bettman and company will have no choice but to scrap the season and look toward gearing up for 2020-21.

THE ATHLETIC: Pierre LeBrun reports being told it’s very unlikely the league would consider just one neutral site because it won’t work for its purposes. Scenarios include two locations where they each had two rinks apiece that the league could use, or four locations for 16 teams, or eight locations. LeBrun indicated it’s still very early in those discussions.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers forward Colby Cave underwent emergency surgery yesterday in Toronto to remove a colloid cyst that was putting pressure on his brain. He remains in a medically-induced coma. The condition is not related to the COVID-19 pandemic, nor was it the result of an accident.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Here’s hoping Cave makes a full recovery and resumes his playing career.

THE DENVER POST: A third Colorado Avalanche player tested positive for COVID-19. He’s in self-isolation and hasn’t had close contact with his teammates or team staff. The league has had eight players test positive for the coronavirus, including five Ottawa Senators.

TSN: Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland said it’s his understanding his club will keep its conditional third-round pick from the Milan Lucic-for-James Neal swap last summer if the season doesn’t resume. The Flames would’ve received the pick if Neal scored at least 21 goals this season and Lucic tallied 10-or-fewer goals than Neal. The latter had netted 19 goals when the schedule was paused.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is earning praise for his efforts to help the local community during the pandemic. Bobrovsky pledged $100K to cover the salaries of the Panthers’ home arena part-time staff. His teammates and team owner Vinnie Viola subsequently jumped on board to cover those employee losses.

Bobrovsky is also working with the Panthers’ Foundation to equip first responders and medical workers with N95 masks. “I think I just tried to do the right thing for those people, to support them and help them from my side,” said Bobrovsky.

KITCHENER TODAY: Former Kitchener Rangers winger Jeff Skinner donated $53,000 to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. The donation number is a reference to the No. 53 he wired with the Rangers and wears today with the Buffalo Sabres.

TSN: Montreal Canadiens coach Claude Julien said young center Jesperi Kotkaniemi is resting at home in Finland and suffered no setbacks in his recovering from an injured spleen suffered on March 11.

NBC SPORTS: Former NHL general managers Brian Burke and Mike O’Connell are feuding over Burke’s attempt to acquire Joe Thornton during his tenure as Anaheim Ducks GM in 2005. O’Connell, the Bruins GM at the time, eventually shipped Thornton to the San Jose Sharks. Burke is still bitter about it, believing he’d made a better offer. O’Connell, however, called Burke’s claims a fabrication.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: There’s nothing like a pissing contest between two former NHL GMs to provide a momentary distraction from this pandemic and its effects upon the NHL season.










Grading the NHL Trade Deadline – Pacific Division Sellers

by | Apr 7, 2020

Grading the NHL Trade Deadline – Pacific Division Sellers

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2020

by | Apr 7, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – April 7, 2020

More speculation on how the NHL might salvage the season, plus the latest on Vladimir Tarasenko, Todd Reirden, and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly held a conference call with the league board of governors, but the fate of the season remains cloudy. The league and the NHL Players Association still hope to complete the remainder of the schedule and stage the 2020 playoffs to avoid the USD 1 billion revenue hit by canceling the season.

Could the NHL stage the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a neutral, quarantined site?

The league is studying various options, such as splitting playoff teams into four groups and staging separate tournaments at neutral sites (such as Grand Forks, ND, Manchester, NH or Saskatoon, SK) so nobody has a competitive edge. Free-agent players would extend their contracts beyond July 1 if required to play beyond then.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported the following via Twitter: “(The) NHLPA is expected to release escrow money from 2018/2019 back to the players and the NHL later this week or early next. The owners share is around $230 million and the players share is $80 million.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garrioch also reports the PA’s executive committee and the player reps are expected to hold a conference call today to discuss whether they’ll accept their final paycheques of the season. That payment is due Apr. 15 and worth $125 million. Some players want the owners to withhold that payment to reduce the escrow hit.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: David Staples predicts we’ll see the NHL playoffs staged this June in isolated locations under quarantine conditions without fans.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A bold prediction, but it’s a scenario the league seems to have under consideration. We’ll find out in two months whether this forecast comes to pass.

TORONTO STAR: Damien Cox wonders if some struggling NHL franchises, such as those in Ottawa, Arizona, Florida, and Carolina, could be forced out of business by this pandemic. 

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bettman fights tooth and nail to ensure those struggling franchises stay alive. As Cox points out, he couldn’t prevent the Atlanta Thrashers from going under and moving to Winnipeg. It’ll be interesting to see what lingering effect this pandemic has on the overall health of the NHL’s 31 teams.

THE ATHLETIC: Seattle’s NHL expansion franchise has delayed revealing its nickname because of the pandemic, but general manager Ron Francis indicates the club is working with the league on the trademark and legal process. Construction is ongoing on the Seattle arena and the league anticipates it’ll be ready for the club’s inaugural season in 2021-22.

NBC SPORTS: St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko has fully recovered from the shoulder surgery that sidelined him since late October.

THE WASHINGTON POST: Capitals head coach Todd Reirden revealed his son’s health is a concern. Travis Reirden was born with common variable immunodeficiency, leaving his body unable to defend against bacteria and viruses. They are taking extra steps to ensure he remains healthy.

BOSTON GLOBE: Bruins legend Bobby Orr write a heartfelt letter of encouragement and appreciation to the staff at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Orr often received treatment there for injuries suffered during his playing career.

THE TENNESSEAN: The Nashville Predators Foundation distributed $700K to various local nonprofits.