NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2020

by | Mar 22, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 22, 2020

A second Senators player tests positive for COVID-19, plus the latest on Shea Weber, Johnny Boychuk, Jacob Markstrom and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

OTTAWA SUN: A second Senators player tested positive for COVID-19 and is in self-isolation. He was among 52 people on board the club’s charter flight through California during their road trip from March 6 to 12. Eight of them have been tested thus far. Both Senators are the only NHL players to test positive thus far.

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Half of the NBA and NHL coronavirus cases are linked to Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Clippers and Kings.

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: The San Jose Sharks report none of their players possess coronavirus symptoms or have been tested for the virus. In a statement, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson explained the club felt it was important to ensure those tests are available in the local community to those in the highest risk groups and those displaying symptoms.

Montreal Canadiens captain Shea Weber (Photo via NHL Images).

LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL: Canadiens captain Shea Weber recorded a message on behalf of the Quebec government aimed at informing English-speaking seniors in the province to practice good hygiene during this time of pandemic.

ESPN.COM: New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello said defenseman Johnny Boychuk will return to action when the NHL schedule resumes. Boychuk was sidelined on March 2 after receiving 90 facial stitches when he was accidentally struck by a skate blade in a game against the Canadiens.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning said goaltender Jacob Markstrom has fully recovered from his knee surgery.

TSN: NHL owners will have a conference call on Monday to discussion the league’s financial situation, including escrow.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks cites a source claiming the NHLPA held a conference call Friday in which the players essentially decide to defer a decision on how to handle their upcoming escrow losses until a verdict is rendered on the season. The league informed the PA that cancellation of the season could mean losses of up to $1 billion, equating to escrow losses of up to 35 percent per player.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That’s why the league and the players are open to all options to salvage what’s left of the season. Nevertheless, they’ll still face significant losses. A lot of hockey fans will be adversely affected by this pandemic, leaving many without jobs or reduced income once this crisis has passed. They’re not going to spend it going to NHL games, where the fan cost index averages USD 424.62 for a family of four.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: The International Ice Hockey Federation announced the 2020 Men’s World Championships are canceled. The tournament was to be staged in Switzerland in May.

NBC SPORTS BOSTON: The Boston Bruins ownership announced a $1.5 million fund to aid part-time TD Garden employees if the Bruins remaining six homes games are postponed or cancelled.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins faced growing criticism as the last team to unveil a plan to assist their part-time employees. The news received mixed reviews from TD Garden employees. Some were happy to hear the news, some felt ownership had to be shamed into doing something, while others are wondering when they’ll start to see the funding.

CALGARY SUN: The Calgary Flames Foundation will donate $1.15 million as part of a COVID-19 community support program.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: With their season cancelled, ECHL players have been left in the financial lurch. The minor-league Professional Hockey Players Association is starting a relief fund to help those players cover their expenses.










Grading The NHL Trade Deadline – Metropolitan Division Sellers

by | Mar 22, 2020

Grading The NHL Trade Deadline – Metropolitan Division Sellers

 

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2020

by | Mar 21, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 21, 2020

The league continues to explore options to resume the season, a look at how the Blues’ revenue will be affected by the pause in the schedule, Massachusetts attorney-general calls on Bruins to compensate employees, and much more in the NHL morning coffee headlines.

TSN: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league has been in almost constant contact with the NHL Players’ Association, its teams, general managers and medical experts since pausing the season over the coronavirus pandemic.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Day (Photo via NHL.com).

He also indicated concerns over what next season’s salary-cap figures could look like are well down the league’s priority list right now but hinted the final figure might not be tied to hockey-related revenue given the unusual circumstances. “(It’s) really somewhat artificial because it is a function of what we and the players’ association agree it to be,” he said. “What that means, what that number is, whether it can fit existing contracts and the like is all something that ultimately we’re going to have to work out.”

As for what the schedule will look like when the league returns, Daly stressed the importance of coming up with one that’s fair and has integrity. He pointed out the lowest number of games played by any one team is 68, constituting a meaningful season. “Whether our playoff format can mirror that legitimacy is something we’ll have to ensure.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE:  As most clubs have played around 70 games, I think this season can be considered legitimate if they were to simply return to action by jumping into the playoffs right away. It appears they want to avoid that scenario, but the pandemic will be the deciding factor over whether this season can be saved in some form.

The NHL and NHLPA prefer finishing the season because it’ll salvage some of that projected $1 billion in potentially lost revenue if the schedule was scrapped. Daly’s comments regarding the salary cap confirm what most of us suspected. The league and the PA won’t return with a cap below the current $81.5 million. It could remain at that level for next season, or they could agree to bump it up slightly to $84 million.

A potential sticking point under the latter scenario, however, is the increase in escrow clawbacks from the players’ salaries. Another could be the long-term effects of a significant recession brought about by this pandemic. It’ll be interesting to see how the two sides navigate through those tricky waters.

 

STLTODAY.COM: The stoppage of play due to the coronavirus pandemic could cost the St. Louis Blues millions of dollars. The fan cost index for the Blues is $374.57 per game. Estimating capacity crowds for their final six home games, the Blues could lose around $10.2 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Though the numbers will vary, every NHL team is facing losses in the millions if their remaining home games are canceled. Because the NHL remains a gate-driven league, it’s understandable why the team owners and players are keen to return to action as soon as possible.

If they do resume the season sometime between May to August, they won’t recoup most of those losses. With millions of North Americans being hit hard financially by this pandemic, the league’s revenue streams will be adversely affected. They could maintain next season’s cap at $81.5 million, but if the economy sinks into a deep recession through next season, the league will feel it at the box office, impacting the salary cap going forward.

BOSTON HERALD: Massachusetts attorney-general Maura Healey called on the Boston Bruins’ ownership to compensate its part-time employees while the NHL schedule remains paused. The Bruins are the only club that hasn’t done so.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Whatever the reason behind ownership’s decision, it certainly doesn’t cast them in a good light, especially when Bruins players are contributing to a GoFundMe page to help those part-time employees.

NHL.COM: The Florida Department of Health informed the Florida Panthers and the BB&T Center that a part-time arena employee tested positive for COVID-19 on March 15. The employee is self-quarantined and receiving medical assistance.

WINNIPEG SUN: Jets players donated $100K to the Winnipeg Harvest food bank on Friday.

CAP FRIENDLY: has the complete list of recent entry-level NHL signings of college players.










These NHL Milestones Were Lost To COVID-19 Stoppage

by | Mar 21, 2020

These NHL Milestones Were Lost To COVID-19 Stoppage

 










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2020

by | Mar 20, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 20, 2020

Latest scheduling speculation, the effect of lost revenue upon players’ salaries, no front office or coaching changes for the Blackhawks and more in today’s NHL morning coffee headlines.

COVID-19 AND THE NHL

TSN: Pierre LeBrun said NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly maintains the league must stage a full 82-game schedule for 2020-21. However, Daly told LeBrun that wouldn’t preclude delaying the start of next season into November if the 2020 playoffs are staged in July and August.

Could the NHL delay the start of 2020-21 to November?

Bob McKenzie reports International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel isn’t optimistic about staging the 2020 World Championships in Switzerland. Fasel’s still awaiting official word from the Swiss government, but McKenzie believes it’s obvious the tournament will be canceled.

The Memorial Cup, set for Kelowna from May 22-31, probably won’t be held at that time. Nevertheless, the CHL isn’t writing off the playoffs. The Kelowna Rockets have reserved ice space for June if the tournament is to be moved back a month.

NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks reports the NHL informed the NHL Players Association that revenue losses stemming from the current schedule pause over coronavirus concerns could be a best-case low of a couple of hundred million to a worst-case $1 billion.

Escrow clawbacks under the best case would rise by four percent but would surge as much as 21 percent under the worst case. That would be added to the 14 percent already clawed back from players’ salaries this season. Under the best case, the players would receive 82 percent of the face value of their contracts for this season, or 65 percent under the worst case.

Brooks believes that’s why some players are pitching the idea of resuming the season, with the Stanley Cup playoffs held in August and September. The PA is exploring options to mitigate that increase to put before its membership. They include rolling this year’s escrow into next season, returning the refund due for 2018-19, adding the projected increase to the remaining two paychecks owed to the players this season, or deferring escrow over a period of years when the new US television deal kicks in.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how responsive the league will be to whatever escrow proposal the PA puts forward. Given the unique situation, perhaps the league will be receptive. After all, they’ll still get their escrow money, it’s just that the PA wants to lessen the hit to their membership.

SPORTSNET: Eric Francis reports uncertainty over COVID-19 and its effect upon the sports world has NHL players leaning more than ever on their agents for support and guidance.

TORONTO SUN:. With leagues’ schedules paused or canceled and travel limited, Michael Traikos reports the coronavirus has affected how NHL scouts evaluate prospects. It could turn the 2020 NHL Draft into more of a crapshoot.

IN OTHER NEWS…

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers yesterday reported Chicago Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz said there will be no changes to the front office or coaching staff following yet another disappointing season. President John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, and head coach Jeremy Colliton will all return.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Some observers, like Powers’ colleague Mark Lazerus, doesn’t see any significant improvement ahead for the Blackhawks. “When the Blackhawks are ambivalent, you potentially get years of mediocrity, with no end in sight,” he wrote. I’ll have more on the Blackhawks in the Rumors section.

NHL.COM: San Jose Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner expects to return as head coach next season. Boughner took over after Peter DeBoer was fired on Dec. 11. Their record since the coaching change was 14-20-3 before the schedule was paused on March 12.










What Might A Coronavirus-Impact Playoff Look Like For The NHL?

by | Mar 20, 2020

What Might A Coronavirus-Impact Playoff Look Like For The NHL?