More Covid today. 3 more Flames, Craig Smith, Mat Barzal (B's play the Isles Thursday), Devon Toews.
December NHL News
- Thread starter cshea
- Start date
They should pull out of the Olympics and shut down until after Christmas.
They won't do that though, they'll plow ahead.
They won't do that though, they'll plow ahead.
If it really is up to the players, maybe not? I can't imagine a lot of players signing up for a potential multi-week quarantine.
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/nhl-bog-bettman-speaks-olympic-worry-1.6281463
As long as there is already a scheduled Olympics break I think moving it to now and bagging the Olympics makes sense.
I'm sure the league would pull out of the Olympics immediately, covid or no covid, if they could. They hate going but it's a concession they made to the players in the CBA negotiations.
The ball seems to be in the players court with the Olympics. There does seem to be hesitation on their part. The league hasn't really said much about the Olympics and Covid, and my read is they are being quiet and not presuring the PA in hopes the players come to this decision on their own.
The ball seems to be in the players court with the Olympics. There does seem to be hesitation on their part. The league hasn't really said much about the Olympics and Covid, and my read is they are being quiet and not presuring the PA in hopes the players come to this decision on their own.
Rod the Bod says let the infected play!
View: https://twitter.com/SaraCivian/status/1470821556301578243?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/SaraCivian/status/1470821556301578243?s=20
That's not how I took his comments, just seems to be frustrated with the situation (not the protocols) but understanding that this is still a good outcome vs the players actually getting sick. I thought they were reasonable comments, imo.
View: https://twitter.com/SaraCivian/status/1470823052162347022?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/SaraCivian/status/1470823052162347022?s=20
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Yeah, that's a fair interpretation. I was reading is as if he was saying what's the point of being vaxxed if we still have to follow all these protocols.
Anywho, Canes/Wild PPD'd after 4 more Canes players tested positive.
Anywho, Canes/Wild PPD'd after 4 more Canes players tested positive.
Preds too:
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1470850469425815553?s=20
Per Kaplan, the league has not thought about pausing the season. They will discuss enhanced protocols at an upcoming, regularly scheduled, call with the NHLPA.
View: https://twitter.com/emilymkaplan/status/1470858862009987078?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1470850469425815553?s=20
Per Kaplan, the league has not thought about pausing the season. They will discuss enhanced protocols at an upcoming, regularly scheduled, call with the NHLPA.
View: https://twitter.com/emilymkaplan/status/1470858862009987078?s=20
thisisfine.gif
Vancouver #Canucks
@Canucks
34m
Canucks defenceman Tucker Poolman will not return to tonight’s game. Poolman has been placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
Vancouver #Canucks
@Canucks
34m
Canucks defenceman Tucker Poolman will not return to tonight’s game. Poolman has been placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
Morgan Frost also got pulled mid-game for a positive test.
Friedman has some details on next steps in his weekly column.
Step one is the league will be going back to stricter protocols. Masks all the time, no leaving the hotel on the road, no parties, etc.
Border crossing is a significant issue. The Hurricanes have a few players and a staff member stuck in Canada due to positive tests and in quarantine. They are looking at ambulance flights and charters to try and get them home, but who knows. As an aside, the Bruins are supposed to go to Canada this weekend. So theoretically a player could play those games, test positive, then be forced to quarantine for 2 weeks before being allowed back to the US.
There's currently no plans to pause the season, that's a last resort. There's some who want to allow asymptomatic positives to play, but the league probably won't allow that. Friedman is pushing for a taxi squad and some sort of cap relief mechanism to make it easier for teams to manage the outbreaks that are inevitably coming.
Friedman has some details on next steps in his weekly column.
Step one is the league will be going back to stricter protocols. Masks all the time, no leaving the hotel on the road, no parties, etc.
Border crossing is a significant issue. The Hurricanes have a few players and a staff member stuck in Canada due to positive tests and in quarantine. They are looking at ambulance flights and charters to try and get them home, but who knows. As an aside, the Bruins are supposed to go to Canada this weekend. So theoretically a player could play those games, test positive, then be forced to quarantine for 2 weeks before being allowed back to the US.
There's currently no plans to pause the season, that's a last resort. There's some who want to allow asymptomatic positives to play, but the league probably won't allow that. Friedman is pushing for a taxi squad and some sort of cap relief mechanism to make it easier for teams to manage the outbreaks that are inevitably coming.
The Flames are apparently being shut down through Christmas. They are up to 27 positives among players/coaches/support staff.
The Predators have 12 positives today, 6 players, 6 coachs/staff/ No plans to shut them down as of yet.
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1471181154225111040?s=20
The Predators have 12 positives today, 6 players, 6 coachs/staff/ No plans to shut them down as of yet.
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1471181154225111040?s=20
Canes will likely play tonight 2 skaters short.
View: https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/1471483529477427211?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/1471483529477427211?s=20
The Canadiens pull the plug on fans in the building at the request of the Quebec government. Kinda wild doing that 2 hours before puck drop.
View: https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL/status/1471602614336897036?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL/status/1471602614336897036?s=20
Seriously. Shut it down.
I know the NBA has its own issues with COVID, but it seems like the NHL is blowing them away in terms of numbers. I wonder if it's due to a difference in protocols or if the current wave has yet to really hit basketball players.
I know the NBA has its own issues with COVID, but it seems like the NHL is blowing them away in terms of numbers. I wonder if it's due to a difference in protocols or if the current wave has yet to really hit basketball players.
If they’re going to make vaccinated players with no symptoms sit out games leading to cancellations and shutdowns then they might as well just fold the league.
The problem is the competative imbalance if they relax protocols or let the vaxxed asymptomatic players keep on playing. I'm sure the league doesn't give a shit really, but it would suck for teams who were forced to play through their outbreaks with AHL rosters and short a couple of skaters suddenly watched the rest of the league who hasn't had an outbreak yet get the benefit of more lenient protocls.
Also, I am sure that symptomatic players won't do everything they can to hide their symptoms and play.
There’s also the problem of jurisdictions setting different rules, from the macro (Canada is requiring negative PCRs from non-residents again) to the micro (several provinces are moving back to tighter restrictions within Canada. Alberta is actually relaxing theirs, just as their case load seems to be bottoming out. I won’t speculate of differences between states).
And how this slipped under the radar, I have no idea, but Paul Maurice resigned in Winnipeg. Dave Lowry take over with the interim tag.
View: https://twitter.com/wpgjetspr/status/1471865481711792131?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/wpgjetspr/status/1471865481711792131?s=21
Nhl reinstated enhanced protocols. It looks like players/staffs weren’t wearing masks on flights.
• Wearing masks at all times inside Club facilities and during travel, including when on buses, planes, and at the hotel (unless exercising, participating in a game, or eating or drinking). Please be reminded that federal law requires the wearing of masks when on charter flights. We have heard some concerns expressed by the charter airline carriers regarding Clubs’ non-compliance with this requirement and ask for your strict adherence to it. Club Compliance Officers are reminded of their responsibility to report all instances of non-compliance with the Protocol to the League.
https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2021-22/EnhancedMeasures.pdf
• Wearing masks at all times inside Club facilities and during travel, including when on buses, planes, and at the hotel (unless exercising, participating in a game, or eating or drinking). Please be reminded that federal law requires the wearing of masks when on charter flights. We have heard some concerns expressed by the charter airline carriers regarding Clubs’ non-compliance with this requirement and ask for your strict adherence to it. Club Compliance Officers are reminded of their responsibility to report all instances of non-compliance with the Protocol to the League.
https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2021-22/EnhancedMeasures.pdf
View: https://twitter.com/pr_nhl/status/1472680826362109960?s=21
Rear Ads says he’s been told that NHL players will not be going to the Olympics.
https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3398851/breaking-nhl-players-will-not-be-going-to-the-olympics
Rear Ads says he’s been told that NHL players will not be going to the Olympics.
https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3398851/breaking-nhl-players-will-not-be-going-to-the-olympics
F this sucks
(I’m someone who loves Olympic hockey)
Guess i will have to watch KHL’ers skate around amateurs now
(I’m someone who loves Olympic hockey)
Guess i will have to watch KHL’ers skate around amateurs now
Given how Omicron is going worldwide, I think it is more likely that the Olympics get moved to 2023 than the players don't go.
Glendale is saying that they're terminating their lease with the Coyotes as of June 30th, leaving the Coyotes at least for now without an arena for games next year and needing to find a place for team offices.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/sports/hockey/arizona-coyotes-glendale-nhl.html
This isn’t new. They’ve already begun exploring play at the Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum, Chase Field, and any of the smaller arenas in the area. Even then, it all hinges on Tempe approving Meruelo’s new arena and development. If that falls through, Bettman may have to swallow his pride and have a talk with Tilman Fertitta.
Looks like a full shut down is coming. Guessing it’ll be announced along with the Olympic withdrawal.
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1473064497799733249?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1473064497799733249?s=21
This could be a disaster for the league. Hopefully teams didn’t book their buildings in July, because the league needs to get an 82 game season with fans in to keep to keep a bunch of teams solvent.
Full shutdown from Dec 22-25. Facilities will reopen No earlier than 2:00 on the 26th.
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1473104523430449160?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1473104523430449160?s=21
Olympics are off, official announcement coming in the coming hours/days, per Seravelli.
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1473314468251713543?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1473314468251713543?s=20
Not sure where to put this, but I thought it was pretty awesome:
View: https://twitter.com/hockeynight/status/1473269412669145088?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/hockeynight/status/1473269412669145088?s=20
Olympics are officially off. League will try to schedule games during the February break, though arena availability is an issue.
I imagine IIHF and the various National federations had a contingency plan, but scraping up an Olympic team from scratch like that (and from a much larger pool of players) at the last minute is going to be a tough task.
It’ll be the thrill of a lifetime for some, though…
I have a theory that the NHL as trying to wait (hoping) until the Olympics got canceled so that they wouldn't have to be the ones making the decision on this. But this week's shutdown forced their hand.
They'll get a team together no problem. I doubt it'll be juniors or NCAA. They'll just find the ramdom guys that were AAAA type NHLers or washeed up old vets, like Brian Gionta in 2018. IIRC, the US team in 2018 only had 3 college players, Donato, Greenway and Troy Terry. Canada has a bunch of dudes that'll they'll bring over the juniors. Guys like Ryan Spooner that are youngish but flamed out of the NHL and toiling away in a foreign league. Unless the foreign leagues pull out too.
Check the Home Rink thread. 
This will be a huge opportunity for a bunch of kids who probably dreamed of this their whole lives but knew deep down inside that it was quite unlikely.
This will be a huge opportunity for a bunch of kids who probably dreamed of this their whole lives but knew deep down inside that it was quite unlikely.