NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2020

by | Mar 14, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 14, 2020

The latest roundup of the NHL’s plans during the postponement of this season and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

HEADLINES

THE SCORE: The NHL distributed a memo to its players yesterday outlining its plans for the coming days during the postponement of its schedule over coronavirus concerns.

The players will continue receiving their paychecks for the remainder of the season during their normal pay period. They’re also asked to self-quarantine themselves for a week in their club’s city and avoid travel, though they will be allowed to see family outside of their respective cities provided they alert their general manager.

The NHL could re-open their training facilities in a week’s time.

They are to work out at home and avoid informal skates at public arenas. Players rehabbing injuries will be allowed if necessary to continue using team facilities. Following the quarantine period, the league hopes to re-open facilities for players to work on conditioning before introducing a training camp period.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said there would be no mandatory testing of players for COVID-19, but testing will be conducted if a player exhibits symptoms or becomes sick. He added the league will work in close conjunction with the NHL Players Association regarding the schedule, noting both sides can agree to extend existing contracts to accommodate the resumption of play.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hockey News’ Jared Clinton believes the NHL will follow the lead of the National Basketball Association regarding the resumption of play. Both leagues share the same arenas. If the NBA returns in 30 days, the NHL could quickly follow suit.

A growing list of NHL teams will compensate their respective arena staffs for postponed games. They include the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Washington Capitals.

Florida Panther goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is pledging $100K to his club’s arena workers. His pledge will be matched by his teammates, with club ownership pledging to take care of outstanding amounts.

TVA SPORTS: No official word yet from the Montreal Canadiens regarding Bell Centre employees, but it’s expected they will also follow suit.

WINNIPEG SUN: Paul Friesen believes the Jets must step up and do right by MTS Centre employees. Club chairman Mark Chipman said Thursday those employees aren’t full-time. “They work when we work. So, regrettably, to the extent that we’re not putting on shows and games, those people obviously would not have a call to work.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I’m willing to give Chipman the benefit of the doubt and suggest he was preoccupied with the fallout from the league’s announcement it was pausing the season. However, it won’t be a good look for the Jets if they won’t compensate MTS Centre workers when other NHL clubs are looking after their own.

TORONTO SUN: Lance Hornby reports NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is still counting on the 2020-21 season to begin on time and run its usual course.

IN OTHER NEWS…

NHL.COM: The Hockey Hall of Fame will be closed from March 14 to April 6 over coronavirus concerns.

LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL: Coronavirus concerns prompted the family of the late Henri Richard to close his funeral to the public. The Montreal Canadiens Hall-of-Famer passed away last week at age 84. His funeral will be Monday, March 16.

TSN: The Department of Player Safety determined New York Rangers winger Brendan Lemieux will be suspended for his hit on Colorado Avalanche winger Joonas Donskoi on Wednesday. “The precise parameters of the suspension will be determined and announced once resumption of play guidelines have been established.”










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2020

by | Mar 13, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 13, 2020

What next for the NHL in the wake of pausing the season over coronavirus concerns? What could be the effect upon the playoff race and the off-season? Check out the latest in today’s morning coffee headlines.

SPORTSNET: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league had been closely monitoring what was going on regarding the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus before its decision to pause the schedule. He admitted the NBA having a player test positive and forcing the cancellation of a game left him no doubt this would be a game-changer.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman remains hopeful of resuming the remainder of this season (Photo via NHL.com).

Bettman said he’s hesitant to use the word “suspension”, remaining hopeful the season will resume at some point. He’s not sure how far it could push the schedule into the summer. The league is taking a day-to-day approach for now.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll depend upon how long before the spread of the virus is significantly slowed or contained. TSN’s Frank Seravalli cited an NHL governor telling colleague Darren Dreger the league is focused for now on returning to action within three weeks, but that will depend upon the players’ health, how many (if any) contracted the virus, and recommendations from the health community.

THE SCORE: The playoff picture, the ripple effect upon the off-season schedule, and the salary cap are the major storylines to monitor as the NHL pauses the remainder of the 2019-20 schedule over coronavirus concerns.

Depending on when the league returns to action, it could pick up its schedule where it left off, play an abbreviated number of games to begin the playoffs closer to the starting date, or cancel the rest of the regular season and opt for a wild-card play-in or beginning the postseason based on the standings at the time the regular season was paused.

It could also affect the dates when the league stages its annual prospect combine and draft in June. The annual July 1 start date for free agency could also change. Next season’s salary cap could remain closer to this season’s $81.5 million rather than reach the projected range of $84 million to $88 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I daresay the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery, slated for April 9, will move to a different date later in the spring. 

NEW YORK POST: Teams are standing pat with no practices or meetings. That could change if they think they’ll start playing games again.

Most teams intend to deal with their ticket holders individually. Most could be willing to transfer those tickets to next season.

If the players are still paid during the hiatus, they could end up giving it all back via escrow to ensure the 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue with team owners. As for hourly workers at arenas, individual teams could examine some form of compensation.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Toronto Maple Leafs (via Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment) and Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley announced they’ll look after their arena staff during this period. I expect the other clubs either have a plan in place for their respective personnel or are working on one.

ESPN.COM: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said it’s a team-by-team thing for testing players for COVID-19. “Testing kits are controlled by local health, and each state is allocated different amounts based on population and experience. At this point, the need for testing is greater than the supply of tests. That will start to change as manufacturers are ramping up production.”

NBC SPORTS BAY AREA: The San Jose Sharks announced a part-time employee at SAP Center in San Jose tested positive for the coronavirus. The individual is under self-quarantine and receiving care from medical personnel.

SPORTSNET: The International Ice Hockey Federation is considering cancelling the Men’s World Championships. The 16-team tournament is set to begin on May 8.

NBC SPORTS: The AHL, ECHL, and CHL are following the NHL’s lead and pausing their schedules.

THE SCORE: Despite the interruption in the schedule, New York Rangers winger Brendan Lemieux will have a hearing today for interfering Colorado Avalanche forward Joonas Donskoi during Wednesday night’s contest.

CALGARY SUN: Long-time Flames executive Ken King passed away at age 68. He was team president and chief executive officer for many years beginning in 2001, and until recently played a role in securing a deal for a new arena in downtown Calgary.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: My condolences to King’s family, friends, and the Flames’ organization.










What We Learned This Week In the NHL: The League Suspends Season

by | Mar 13, 2020

What We Learned This Week In the NHL: The League Suspends Season

 










NHL Pauses Remainder of 2019-20 Season

by | Mar 12, 2020

NHL Pauses Remainder of 2019-20 Season

Following a conference call with the NHL board of governors, commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement indicating the league will pause the remainder of the 2019-20 season over coronavirus concerns.

“In light of ongoing developments resulting from the coronavirus, and after consulting with medical experts and convening a conference call of the Board of Governors, the National Hockey League is announcing today that it will pause the 2019‑20 season beginning with tonight’s games.

“The NHL has been attempting to follow the mandates of health experts and local authorities, while preparing for any possible developments without taking premature or unnecessary measures. However, following last night’s news that an NBA player has tested positive for coronavirus – and given that our leagues share so many facilities and locker rooms and it now seems likely that some member of the NHL community would test positive at some point – it is no longer appropriate to try to continue to play games at this time.

“We will continue to monitor all the appropriate medical advice, and we will encourage our players and other members of the NHL community to take all reasonable precautions – including by self-quarantine, where appropriate. Our goal is to resume play as soon as it is appropriate and prudent, so that we will be able to complete the season and award the Stanley Cup. Until then, we thank NHL fans for your patience and hope you stay healthy.”

SPECTOR’S NOTE: I doubt anyone’s surprised by this announcement. The spread of the virus in North America, combined with the NBA’s decision last night to pause their season, left the league no choice. It’s the sensible thing to due under the circumstances.

It’s hoped more details will be revealed as to when the NHL will resume the rest of the schedule, as well as when they’ll start the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs, which were to begin on April 8. Various scenarios have reportedly been discussed, but there’s nothing confirmed yet as to what the schedule will look like once this pause has been lifted. It’s possible the playoffs could push throughout June or perhaps into July.

The bottom line here is the league intends to resume the schedule within the four weeks. They haven’t reached the point where they will cancel the season.

In the meantime, I’ll continue to update this site daily throughout this period with the latest NHL news and rumors. I hope you’ll all continue to check in regularly. Take care of yourselves, and please follow instructions to protect you and others from catching or spreading this coronavirus. Here’s hoping we can all get back to watching NHL hockey soon.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2020

by | Mar 12, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 12, 2020

The NHL considers its options as the NBA suspends its season over coronavirus concerns, plus game recaps and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

HEADLINES

NHL.COM: The National Hockey League will provide an update on its season later today regarding coronavirus concerns. The league released a statement last night indicating its awareness of the National Basketball Association’s decision to suspend its season indefinitely after a player tested positive for the virus. NHL officials will continue to consult with medical officials and evaluating options. It is also in close contact with the NHL Players Association.

TSN: Darren Dreger reports the league is expected to hold a conference call with all 31 clubs today.

SPORTSNET: While the league hasn’t yet decided on suspending its season, Chris Johnston believes it wouldn’t be surprising if it followed the NBA’s lead. “How can they reasonably play on with the virus spreading quickly in North America?”, asked Johnston. Even if the league held games in empty arenas, it might not be enough to guarantee the safety of the players and officials. Johnston also raised concern over whether the NHL can award a Stanley Cup champion this season, noting several European leagues have scrapped their seasons over COVID-19 concerns.

TSN: Frank Seravalli reports playing games without fans would have consequences for league revenue this season, in turn affecting the salary cap for 2020-21. The NHL is the most gate-reliant for revenue among the four major North American sports leagues.

SPORTSNET: The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens have grounded their international scouts over COVID-19 concerns.

THE SCORE: Vegas Golden Knights winger Reilly Smith attempted to find some humor over the possibility of playing games in empty arenas. “I played in an empty building for a couple of years in Florida so I’m used to it,” he said.

Could the NHL suspend its season over COVID-19 concerns? (Image via NHL.com)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see how the league addresses this situation. The Columbus Blue Jackets and San Jose Sharks already announced it would play several upcoming home games without fans. The league could go that route with all its clubs on a week-by-week basis, they could postpone the remaining schedule by two or three weeks or suspend it indefinitely.

Whatever the league decides, it will affect hockey-related revenue for this season. It’s probably safe to assume those rosy projections of the cap rising next season to between $84 million to $88 million can be scrapped.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Alex Pietrangelo scored twice to lead the St. Louis Blues over the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 to complete the game that was postponed last month after Blues defensemen Jay Bouwmeester suffered a cardiac incident. With the win, the Blues (94 points) hold a two-point lead over the Colorado Avalanche for first overall in the Western Conference.

An overtime goal by J.T. Compher lifted the Avalanche to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers. Cale Makar collected three assists for the Avs in his return to the lineup following a five-game absence to an upper-body injury The Rangers (79 points) sit two points out of an Eastern Conference wild-card berth. Earlier in the day, the Avs announced center Nathan MacKinnon was sidelined one-two weeks with a lower-body injury.

The Winnipeg Jets picked up their fourth straight win by doubling up the Edmonton Oilers 4-2. Kyle Connor scored two goals for the Jets (80 points), moving two points ahead of the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks into the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Oilers (83 points) remain three points behind the first-place Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Dominik Kubalik tallied his 30th goal of the season in a 6-2 win over the San Jose Sharks. Kubalik leads all NHL rookies in goals this season. Patrick Kane scored twice for the Hawks.

The Los Angeles Kings picked up their seventh straight win by edging the Ottawa Senators 3-2. The Kings have won 10 of their last 13 contests.

IN OTHER NEWS…

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Golden Knights winger Max Pacioretty is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Pacioretty leads the Golden Knights with 32 goals and 66 points.

SPORTSNET: Vancouver Canucks defenseman Chris Tanev is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

TVA SPORTS: Montreal Canadiens sophomore center Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s season is over following an injured spleen suffered on Friday playing for the Habs’ AHL affliate.

THE DETROIT NEWS: Red Wings forward Filip Zadina’s attempt to return from an ankle injury has been delayed by a mid-body injury. The Wings are hoping it won’t be season-ending for the young winger.

PHILLY.COM: Flyers center Nate Thompson will be sidelined for two weeks with a sprained left knee.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2020

by | Mar 10, 2020

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – March 10, 2020

Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon injured against the Kings, the NHL limits locker-room access over coronavirus concerns, and more in today’s morning coffee headlines.

GAME RECAPS

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon suffered a lower-body injury as his Colorado Avalanche dropped a 3-1 decision to the Los Angeles Kings, who extended their winning streak to six games. Avs coach Jared Bednar had no update on MacKinnon’s condition. Colorado (90 points) sit two points behind the St. Louis Blues for first place in the Western Conference.

Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon was injured during a 3-1 loss to the LA Kings on Monday (Photo via NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Avalanche has persevered despite their injury-depleted roster throughout this season. A potentially lengthy absence of their leading scorer, however, will be a serious test. 

Despite a 3-2 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres, the Washington Capitals regained sole possession of first place in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points. Sabres captain Jack Eichel netted his 36th of the season while teammate Dominik Kahun potted the winning. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin tallied his 48th goal of the season, tying Boston’s David Pastrnak for first place among this season’s goal scorers. Washington has just four wins in their last 10 games.

The Florida Panthers upset the Blues 2-1. Mike Hoffman and Brett Connolly were the Panthers’ goal scorers while Chris Driedger made 26 saves for the win. The Panthers moved within a point of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot and the third-place Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with a 2-1 upset of the Blues.

Shea Theodore’s overtime goal lifted the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. With 86 points, the Golden Knights hold a three-point lead over the Oilers for first place in the Pacific Division. Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen made 45 saves in a losing cause. Edmonton captain Connor McDavid missed the game due to an illness.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored and set up two others as the Winnipeg Jets picked up their third straight victory by doubling up the Arizona Coyotes 4-2. With 78 points, the Jets hold the first wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Coyotes, meanwhile, sit three points out of a playoff spot in the West.

HEADLINES

The NHL is joining the NBA, Major League Baseball, and Major League Soccer by limiting access to locker rooms and clubhouses to players and essential personnel over concerns about the coronavirus. Media groups responded with a statement expressing their understanding of this situation, but hoping access won’t be unnecessarily limited in the short and long term.

NBC SPORTS: The San Jose Sharks released a statement in response to Santa Clara county banning all mass gatherings exceeding 1,000 people for the rest of the month over coronavirus concerns. The team will be reviewing each upcoming event scheduled at SAP Center and will provide updates in the coming days. The Sharks have three homes games scheduled for March 19, 21, and 29.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Those games could be postponed, though rescheduling them will be difficult with the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning on April 8. The Sharks could also end up playing those games in an empty arena.

NHL.COM: New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, and Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl are the NHL’s three stars for the week ending March 8.

The department of player safety fined Blues winger Oskar Sundqvist $5,000.00 for roughing Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Adam Boqvist on Sunday.

CBS SPORTS: The Sharks officially announced the re-signing of defensesman Radim Simek to a four-year, $9-million contract extension.

Vegas Golden Knights winger Alex Tuch suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury and has returned to Las Vegas

THE NEWS & OBSERVER: With goaltender Petr Mrazek set to return to action, the Carolina Hurricanes sent Alex Nedeljkovic to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

NBC SPORTS: Philadelphia Flyers winger Oskar Lindblom joined his teammates for their annual team photo yesterday. Lindblom has been sidelined since December as he undergoes treatment for Ewing’s sarcoma.