There has never been a more uncertain time in the NHL, with no clear plan on how or when the season will resume. Front offices are preparing for the draft–whenever that will be–and a playoff that may include as many as 24 teams. Which team will benefit from the break? Which team will suffer? How will next year’s schedule look?
With those questions and many more in mind, it’s time to run our first mailbag of the pause. You can submit a question by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. Make sure to get your questions in early and we’ll try to get through as many of them as possible when the mailbag runs on the weekend.
Which team currently outside a playoff spot is the biggest threat in a 24 team playoff?
TSN just did an article on that today lol
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious diseases expert, plans to deliver a blunt warning at Tuesday’s U.S. Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: Reopen too quickly and people will die.
In an email to a New York Times reporter Monday night, Fauci wrote, “The major message that I wish to convey to the Senate HLP committee tomorrow is the danger of trying to open the country prematurely.”
He continued, “If we skip over the checkpoints in the guidelines to ‘Open America Again,’ then we risk the danger of multiple outbreaks throughout the country. This will not only result in needless suffering and death, but would actually set us back on our quest to return to normal.”
“Opening Up America Again” is a three-phase White House plans for states to follow when seeking to reopen.
The hearing will be via video teleconference.
Fauci is currently in “modified quarantine” after coming into contact with a White House staffer who tested positive for coronavirus, the White House said.
Any ideas on how the buyouts would work? Is this a one time deal?
Owners don’t want them
With the news a few weeks ago about Alex Steen considering retirement and the possibility of comp buyouts, would buying out Steen’s and Faulk’s contracts make enough room to resign pietrangelo and add someone on the wing to replace Steen?
How do you think this will change things with Seattle joining the league?
There were quite a few major injuries prior to the shutdown.What injured players would be ready to play if the league is restarted soon?
Also,is the Seattle team officially named yet?
How would compliance buyouts impact recapture penalties on the bought out contracts? Also, would each team be limited to one buyout? If so, would teams be allowed to trade players so another team can buy them out?
The AHL called the season over. Is that a precursor to the NHL doing the same? And (unfortunately) if so, when would the NHL call it?
Will kaprisov cross the pond?
The NHL is missing a golden opportunity to get the publicity they so covet for their sport. If they can figure out a way to become the first sport to come back from quarantine they will be able to gain more TV market share than they have in the past 25 years. The NFL is not on until the fall at the earliest, the NBA is still trying to figure out what to do and MLB is not planning to reopen for a while. Get your product out there now and every sports-starved fan in America will be watching NHL games. They need to come out from under their veil of limited thinking and do something bold and positive. They could capture a market for their product like they have never even dreamed of especially if the playoffs startup right away.
The AHL has canceled its season. All the pundits say that league is dependent on ticket sales for revenue. Not all AHL teams are owned by their parent NHL club. With the possibility of no fans in attendance next year, is the AHL truly in trouble?
All the talk in the MLB is about how much players will or won’t get paid when the season starts. How have talks in the NHL progressed so far and could we see a snag similar to MLB?
Hi Gavin, earlier this year prior to the season being halted there was an article proposing an 84-88.2 million salary cap for next season. With current economic conditions, when they finally settle on a figure do you think it’s in the 84-88 range, or an unchanged 81.5, or a retraction down to say 80, or worse? My assumption is the unchanged 81.5, I’m curious what you think. Thanks Gavin.