Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

CBA

Snapshots: Tentative Schedule, Exhibition Games, Players, Eklund

at CDT | by 1 Comment

While nothing is set in stone about the forthcoming NHL season, the makings of a season format seem to be falling into place. Yesterday’s news that the league is targeting a January 15 start and a 56-game schedule provided some optimism that firm numbers may be coming into focus and the reality of a 2020-21 with it. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Chris Johnston have followed up that report with some speculative notes on how training camp, the regular season, and the postseason could play out. They have heard that a January 15 start date would mean that the seven non-playoff teams from 2019-20 would open camp on December 28, while the other 24 teams would start up on January 1. This isn’t exactly the extended camp that the non-playoff teams had hoped for, but with the Christmas holiday also playing a key role in negotiations from the players’ side, there is little wiggle room between starting after December 25 and allowing all teams enough time for a sufficient camp prior to January 15. Friedman and Johnston believe that a January 15 start and 56-game schedule would result in a May 1 end to the regular season, with room to make up games if needed. The postseason would then run through the first week of July, again with some flexibility for make-up delays before a likely late July Entry Draft and Expansion Draft and August 1 start to the new league year and free agency. None of these dates are official of course, but they do report that some players and teams have been notified that they should expect a January 15 start date and to be back in North America and in quarantine this month. As for the actual structure of the league and of travel and game play this season, temporary realignment seems very likely, especially if it will allow teams to play in their home cities and arenas, which is the preference of players and clubs alike. However, the concept of bubbles or hub cities is still very much on the table if that is the only way to ensure the safety of all players and staff. Friedman and Johnston also note that there is some optimism that with this delayed start to the season and the progress being made on a COVID-19 vaccine that there could be fans in attendance, regardless of the format, by the end of the regular season and in the playoffs.

  • While everyone is hopeful that these plans work out and are excited for the return of NHL hockey, don’t expect to see any game action until the actual anticipated regular season start date of January 15. Friedman and Johnston report that there will not likely be exhibition “pre-season” games during training camp. This can likely be explained by a hesitancy to potentially expose players and personnel to COVID for a meaningless game. Although starting the season cold will be difficult, it is a a safer option. Teams will have to rely on inter-squad scrimmages for preparation.
  • While logistics coming together for this coming season, with agreement on both sides, is great to see, there is still a financial negotiation going on as well. The owners are hoping to adjust the values of salary deferral and escrow just recently agreed upon in the CBA extension, but so far the players have been resistant to any change. The Philadelphia Flyers’ James van Riemsdyk, the team’s NHLPA rep, tells The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Sam Carchidi that the players feel the impact of the Coronavirus on 2020-21 profits was fully considered when the CBA was agreed upon and the players do not feel that they owe the owners any more than they have already relinquished. This is a sentiment that has been echoed by many when it comes to the league’s proposal of financial changes. On a positive note, van Riemsdyk says that the players are happy with their side of the CBA and like what they have heard so far about a “return to play” plan. He states that the players are “ready to roll” with the new season once the owners agree to uphold the CBA.
  • While the NHL is doing their best to combat COVID and get back to play, the virus continues to impact every corner of the hockey world. Leagues and teams on multiple continents have paused their seasons, players, coaches, and staff have been infected, and opportunities to watch and play the game have been few and far between with restrictions on facilities and group gatherings. The latest newsworthy COVID impact comes out of Sweden. European hockey insider Uffe Bodin reports that 2021 draft prospect William Eklund has tested positive for the virus and as a result may not participate in the upcoming World Junior Championship in Edmonton. Eklund is considered by many to be a potential first-round pick in next year’s draft, which has been helped along by a breakout season in the SHL. His absence will be a major loss for Team Sweden and will also be a missed opportunity for NHL scouts. The talented forward will simply have to work to get healthy and continue to show what he can do in the SHL this year.

 

Snapshots: Bouwmeester, CBA Talks, Orr

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The St. Louis Blues will move on without the services of veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who had been with the team since 2013 but saw his playing career come to an end after a cardiac episode last season. The 37-year-old hasn’t officially retired, but it seems unlikely that he would return to the ice. That doesn’t mean he’ll never be back with the Blues though, as St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong suggested on the Cam & Strick Podcast.

I would love to work with him. I would love to get him to do some scouting for us in the future. He’s one of those guys, he’s got a great hockey mind. Also, retirement is great until you’re home all the time. Now I’m not saying that he’s going to want to travel like a pro scout and do four games in five nights in five cities. But he can go into Calgary, up to Edmonton, he can go into Vancouver, he can come in when we’re there.

It’s hard to overstate just how well-respected Bouwmeester is around the league after a 1,240-game career. The proverbial “horse” on the blueline, he averaged more than 24 minutes a night over his long career, reaching incredible highs early on. In the 2007-08 season, for instance, Bouwmeester averaged 27:28 for the Florida Panthers, playing nearly half the game every night. If he did decide to hang up his skates and join a scouting department, St. Louis likely wouldn’t be the only team interested.

  • Gary Bettman spoke with Sports Business Journal today, and according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet was adamant that the NHL is not trying to “renegotiate” the deal they signed with the players earlier this year. Instead, he referred to “stresses on the system” which is mainly the fact that player contracts will make up more than 50 percent of the hockey-related revenue thanks to a depressed market. Overall as Frank Seravalli of TSN tweets, Bettman explained that he is disappointed with how the talks have been portrayed to this point.
  • Want some good news? How about a player named Bobby Orr earning Rookie of the Month honors in the QMJHL. The 17-year-old forward scored 13 points in his first 15 games for the Halifax Mooseheads, including scoring in all five held in November. Orr has worked his way up to the top line and is tied for the rookie scoring lead in the Q.

Snapshots: CBA Talks, COVID Restrictions, KHL

at CDT | by 4 Comments

There have been no serious negotiations between the NHL and NHLPA for more than a week, according to Kevin McGran. The two sides have been near-silent, a tactic that reminds McGran of the previous lockouts, including one in 2012 that he details in today’s piece for the Toronto Star. Other reporters and insiders have expressed the same thing over the past few days, but McGran’s piece includes one potentially jaw-dropping nugget—some league governors may have agreed to the memorandum of understanding on Gary Bettman’s recommendation, which guaranteed player salaries for the upcoming season, without actually reading it first.

It’s not clear at all when the two sides will finally agree on something, but McGran predicts an early-January deal that would have the season starting in February. That would potentially line up with the suggestion that Darren Dreger of TSN made on Twitter this morning, noting that even if a deal is reached soon, postponing training camps until after the holidays “has to be considered.”

  • Part of that consideration will be the varied county, state, provincial, and federal health guidelines. In Santa Clara County, where the San Jose Sharks reside, new restrictions have limited the preparation even further. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic relates a statement from the Sharks, which explains that the team is reviewing local options for rehab and training while revising their current voluntary programs. The San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, who are also based in Santa Clara, will hold their “home” games the next two weeks in Arizona. Remember, the Sharks are one of seven teams expected to receive an extra week of training camp before the season begins, after failing to qualify for the bubble postseason this summer.
  • While the NHL tries to get a season underway, the KHL continues to play as if little has changed. Today saw quite the transaction, with Magnus Paajarvi and Teemu Pulkkinen swapping teams. Paajarvi, 29, played nearly 500 games in the NHL before heading to the KHL in 2019 and will be going from Yaroslavl Lokomotiv to Dynamo Moscow. Pulkkinen, 28, has played the last three seasons in the KHL after a short NHL career and had 14 points for Moscow this season.

Snapshots: CBA Talks, Cirelli, Smirnov

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The heads of the NHL and NHLPA haven’t spoken directly in almost a week, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic who tweets commissioner Gary Bettman and executive director Donald Fehr last talked on Thursday, November 19. LeBrun notes that the “communication stalemate is noteworthy” because of the near-constant dialogue the two had through the first part of the offseason.

While LeBrun once again tweets his confidence something will finally get done and points at the next week as an important stretch, Darren Dreger of TSN adds that it has been that way for a while now. Many have pointed to the end of November as a key threshold if the NHL still wants a January 1. start, something that looks more and more difficult to accomplish with every passing day. The biggest issue in talks continues to be amending the CBA that was agreed to just a few months ago.

  • After the Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed Mikhail Sergachev this afternoon, LeBrun reached out to the agent for Anthony Cirelli, who remains a restricted free agent without a contract for the 2020-21 season. Pat Morris of Newport Sports told LeBrun that there is “nothing new to report” in Cirelli’s contract talks. With the Lightning now close to $2MM over the salary cap ceiling, contracts for Cirelli and Erik Cernak will be very difficult to fit in without a corresponding move.
  • Denis Smirnov, a sixth-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2017, has signed his first professional contract, inking a deal with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL. The Grizzlies signed a trio of players today, including the 23-year-old Smirnov who became an unrestricted free agent when the Avalanche failed to sign him this summer.

 

Some NHL Owners Prefer Not To Play In 2020-21

at CDT | by 24 Comments

While everyone would like to think that all parties involved in the ongoing talks between the NHL and NHLPA want the same thing – a 2020-21 season, preferably as soon as possible – it seems that is not the case. ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that Commissioner Gary Bettman is currently dealing with several “disgruntled” owners who are upset at the league side of the recent CBA extension. Several of these owners allegedly have gone so far as to say that they would prefer not to play this season if the lack of fans results in financial loss.

Without fans in the building, NHL teams are certainly facing down potential losses. Some owners with financial concerns in the short-term are worried about their cashflow in 2020-21 and not content with what the players already gave up in CBA negotiations. The players opted to defer 10% of their 2020-21 salary and agreed to have escrow capped at 20% for the season. However, the league has recently asked players to give up even more in deferred salary as well as escrow, a proposal that was not well-received. Should the players ultimately not agree to any further concessions, it appears that a small group of owners would rather not play this season than pay their players the amount agreed upon in the CBA.

However, Kaplan adds that Bettman will not allow this to happen. The Commissioner has told these individuals that skipping the season is “simply not an option”, citing the long-term harm of a lost year. Bettman will continue to go to bat for the owners, but will not allow a lack of progress in talks to derail the season. Fortunately, it does seem as though the players are willing to negotiate so long as the owners are open to some concessions of their own. If that is not enough for the “disgruntled” owners, it seems Bettman and the players are unified in moving forward regardless.

Snapshots: CBA Talks, Juolevi, QMJHL

at CDT | by 2 Comments

After yesterday’s discussions with the NHL, the NHLPA is not happy. The league asked for further financial concessions in the form of payment deferrals and increased escrow, just a few months after negotiating a new CBA, and things are now a little more heated between the two sides. Both Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic have now released columns explaining the situation, using terms like “angry” and “betrayed” when describing how the players feel.

Both insiders finish their columns with messages of hope, however, with the idea that the two sides will eventually come together on a deal for the sake of the sport. But with December coming quickly and players needing time to return to North America, quarantine (in some cases), and prepare for the season, work will have to be done quickly on a new arrangement.

  • One player hoping to get things going so he can continue some of the momentum he built this summer is Olli Juolevi, who Iain MacIntyre profiled yesterday for Sportsnet. Juolevi, the fifth-overall pick in 2016, is finally healthy after years of dealing with various injuries and surgeries. The 22-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut in the bubble when he played one postseason game for the Vancouver Canucks, but certainly has ground to make up to catch some of his draft contemporaries. Several defensemen selected after him have already established themselves as full-time NHL options (if not stars), while the name selected directly after him—Matthew Tkachuk—is arguably the most important player on their division rival Calgary Flames.
  • The Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL have had a staff member test positive for COVID-19, meaning their upcoming games have been postponed and team in-person activities have been suspended. The Cape Breton Eagles, who played the Sea Dogs yesterday, will also have their games postponed until an investigation is complete.

NHL’s Free Agent Interview Period Could Return

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

As if the 2020 off-season wasn’t already going to be strange, what with the October start date and flat salary cap, it also marked a new age in free agency negotiations with the removal of the free agent interview period. Well, it seems this new age may be short-lived. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports that the NHL’s general managers have already discussed bringing back the interview period, with 48- and 72-hour periods being considered. Such a reinstatement would need to be approved by the NHLPA as well, as it is a collectively-bargained policy.

The interview period, also known as “legal tampering”, occurs just prior to the new league year beginning and the opening of free agency (which until this year has been July 1). It is a period of time in which teams can contact unrestricted free agents and their representation to discuss potential contract terms before the market officially opens. This policy, agreed upon in the previous CBA, led to a rush of contracts when the market opened, implying that teams and UFA’s had not only discussed contract terms, but agreed in principle. Upset that the interview period was being abused, the two sides eliminated the construct when the new CBA was ratified back in July.

Just a few months later, the teams want it back. This off-season has been much slower than usual, going all the way back to the first day the market opened. Being unable to discuss contract terms has undoubtedly impacted GM’s abilities to read market value and plan accordingly. The result has been a number of notable free agents – including two top-10 and 14 top-50 UFA’s per PHR – remaining unsigned several weeks into free agency.

Especially while dealing with the flat cap, this unpredictable market has helped no one. It is understandable why the teams would like it back and it is safe to assume that the players will agree. The interview period structure could certainly stand to be a bit stricter and perhaps a more limited time frame would also help avoid abuse, but a cold opening to free agency seems unsustainable moving forward.

NHL Announces Official Dates And Times For 2020 Draft, Opening Of Free Agency

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

With the 2020 postseason proceeding ahead of schedule, there has been reporting and considerable speculation that the league would move up the dates of the delayed 2020 NHL Entry Draft and the beginning of the new league year and opening of free agency. The NHL has followed through on that speculation, officially announcing today the new dates for these events. The Draft will take place on October 6-7, and the new league year will commence on October 9.

The first round of the NHL Draft will begin at 7pm ET on Tuesday, October 6, a departure from its usual Friday night slot. Similarly, the second day of the draft, comprising rounds 2-7, will take place on Wednesday, October 7 rather than it’s typical Saturday placement. Otherwise, the structure of the draft stays the same. One key difference though is that all draft operations will take place virtually.

As for the start of free agency, the July 1 unofficial holiday will instead take place on Friday, October 9. Other than a delay of more than three months, the opening of free agency will not be much different; at 12pm ET, the signing window will open and free agents will be free to speak with teams and sign contracts. What may be very different however is the pace at which players will sign. While there is usually a massive rush of contracts when free agency opens, there are factors working against a fast-paced market. First, the NHL’s new CBA has eliminated the free agent contact period, meaning teams and available players cannot formally communicate until after free agency officially opens. Second, the flat salary cap will force the majority of NHL teams to be very careful with their roster operations this off-season, potentially prioritizing re-signing their own restricted free agents before throwing money at unrestricted free agents. This combination could produce an abnormally slow start to free agency, but October 9 will be an intriguing day league-wide nonetheless.

Snapshots: Martinook, Toews, Tortorella, Khudobin

at CDT | by 3 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes really don’t like the NHL’s Return to Play plan. After Jordan Martinook and the ‘Canes were one of just two teams to vote against the initial postseason format last month, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Martinook was also one of the two NHLPA representatives who voted against ratifying the Return to Play plan and CBA extension. Martinook has previously stated that he and his teammates felt that the expanded playoff structure was a disadvantage to teams who were safely in the postseason picture, but not within the top four in their conference. It is a fair opinion for Carolina to have; the team has the second-best record of qualifying round contenders and almost certainly would have made the playoffs. Their reward for those regular season efforts? A five-game series match-up with a New York Rangers team that was playing their best hockey down the stretch and has been a tough match-up for the Hurricanes all season. As a result, Martinook tried not once but twice to change the league’s plan, but to no avail. They will face the Rangers in just over a week’s time with a playoff berth on the line.

The other “no” vote against the Return to Play plan was reported to belong to Chicago Blackhawks representative Jonathan Toews. However, Toews has come out today and refuted that report. There is no doubt that Toews asked hard questions about health and safety protocols and gameplay logistics and made the case for why his peers should consider voting against the plan, but he tells Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun Times that at the end of the day he voted “yes”. In fact, he said that he always planned to vote yes but wanted to make sure that there was a thorough conversation before a decision was made. There is no word on who the mystery second “no” vote came from, but it was not the Blackhawks captain.

  • Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella might be re-thinking his teams approval of the expanded postseason plan. While a standard 16-team format would have excluded his team, which was in ninth in the Eastern Conference at the time of the league’s pause, their preparation for the knockout round is not going according to plan. Tortorella told NHL.com’s Craig Merz outright that he does not like what he has seen from his best players. “My concern is some of the people that we are going to need to make a difference for us to win a series, I don’t think they’re ready right now,” the Jack Adams finalist stated. “I don’t think they’re doing the things they need to do right now to get ready for that series… This isn’t getting ready for the regular season and then trying to find your game in 15 games during the regular season. This is a sprint… I don’t want us to fall into this trap of wading in. We need to be ready to go.”
  • Anton Khudobin and the Dallas Stars have some extra time to get ready for the postseason as they are one of the four top seeds in the West and will have four round robin games ahead of them before the real competition begins. Although Khudobin may only see action in the round robin and not in the Stars’ postseason series, as starter Ben Bishop will get the nod unless his play warrants a change, Khudobin’s value to Dallas cannot be understated. One of the best backups in the NHL, Khudobin recorded a .930 save percentage and 2.22 GAA in 30 games this season. While these numbers are outstanding, even better than Bishop’s, it doesn’t appear that Khudobin is looking to move on from Dallas to a greater role. He tells Matthew DeFranks of The Dallas Morning News that his preference is to remain with the Stars for a while longer. However, the impending UFA admits that he will let his agent work out the details and find the best opportunity. Khudobin is certainly comfortable and thriving in Texas, but the Stars’ limited cap space and the presences of Bishop and top prospect Jake Oettinger may mean that his current team cannot offer him top dollar. On the other hand, a potentially strong goalie market and Khudobin’s age, not to mention a flat salary cap, may mean that there won’t be the demand on the open market that Khudobin’s performance would normally command. This seems to be the case with another elite backup, Boston’s Jaroslav Halak, who recently signed a one-year extension for less guaranteed money despite another stellar season as the Bruins’ backup after replacing Khudobin himself. Perhaps Khudobin will have to settle for the same fate, especially if he wants to remain in Dallas.

Snapshots: Stingrays, Beaudin, Koivu

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The Washington Capitals and South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL have renewed their affiliation, signing a three-year extension that will keep them together moving forward. The Stingrays were first affiliated with the Capitals between 2004-2012, and were reunited in 2014. The two teams, along with the Hershey Bears of the AHL, have experienced plenty of success as one of the strongest three-tiered development system in professional hockey.

Perhaps the best-known success story is Braden Holtby, who spent time with the Stingrays in 2009-10 before eventually moving up the depth chart. The ECHL is routinely used to give raw goalie prospects a chance to hone their talents in game situations and will continue to be a valuable development path for the Capitals.

  • With the shortened season the league had to institute a pro-rating system for things like the entry-level slide rule in the new CBA. Previously, players had to eclipse ten games for their entry-level contract to kick in. That changed slightly with the new rules, but according to CapFriendly the new formula will only actually affect one player—Nicolas Beaudin. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect could see his first year burned if he is to play in eight more games, even though he only played one in the regular season. There are still many players who could see their first year kick in should they play enough games in the playoffs, but those thresholds remain at 10 games. CapFriendly has the entire list right here.
  • Mikko Koivu is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, but he hasn’t made a decision yet on whether he’ll continue to play. The 37-year old Minnesota Wild captain told Michael Russo of The Athletic that he would make that decision after his season is over. After several major injuries and the slow march of time Koivu isn’t the same two-way monster he was for so many years, but he did still contribute 21 points in 55 games for the Wild this season. He’ll get a chance to strengthen his legacy with a playoff run, but the Wild will have to dispatch the Vancouver Canucks in their qualification round first.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

scroll to top