Snapshots: Hub Favorites, Phase 2, Postseason Rules
Six cities remain in the hunt as potential hub locations for when the NHL returns to play. As things stand right now, Vegas and either Vancouver or Edmonton are the frontrunners, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. Toronto, Chicago, and Los Angeles remain outside contenders – but they are still very much in the hunt. Of course, Vegas, Vancouver, and Edmonton are all in the Western Conference, meaning one of the Golden Knights, Canucks, or Oilers would play their games at home – should LeBrun’s hunch prove correct. The NHL isn’t overly concerned, per LeBrun, because without fans present, the games would still qualify as technically neutrally located, even though whichever team does stay home would enjoy a certain amount of comfort in their home building. Finding the best, safest fit to house 12 teams at a time is the priority for now, over maintaining a perfect degree of parity. Let’s check in on the other tidbits of news that have eeked out over the last few hours concerning the NHL’s return to play…
- Phase 2 takes another step forward tomorrow, allowing for up to 12 skaters to share the ice at a time during workouts, tweets Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Only six skaters had been allowed at a time up until now. A successful expansion could prove a crucial development given the recent rash of COVID-19 cases popping up across the sports landscape.
- We also now know – thanks to NHL deputy commissioner Billy Daly – that each of the 24 participating teams will play one or two exhibition games prior to the round-robin and play-in phases of the NHL postseason, per Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer. That’s not a ton of ice time to ready the troops, but with such a small window of viability, it makes sense to limit player exposure prior to any games of consequence.
- In a more logistical matter, the NHL and Players’ Association have agreed to extend contracts and visas for players whose contracts were going to expire on June 30th, tweets CapFriendly. That’s not to indicate a more comprehensive agreement between the two sides, as will be required before the NHL officially returns to play. The matter of expiring contracts appears to have been agreed upon as a solitary issue.
- Teams will have 30 players available for July 10 training camps, with playoff rosters trimmed to 28, per Ben Kuzma of Postmedia Sports. For camp and the playoffs, teams will be granted an unlimited number of goalies. Being as only 6 members of each team have been allowed to share the ice at a time through today, the scope of the NHL’s undertaking will clearly require heavy-lifting from logistics and operations departments.
NHL Will Not Change Phase 3 Start Date In Response To Positive COVID Tests
It was a rude awakening for the NHL yesterday. With Phase 2 voluntary workouts underway and excitement finally starting to build toward resuming the 2019-20 season later this summer, it seemed like everything might come to a screeching halt following yesterday’s revelation that 11 players had tested positive for Coronavirus, including Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews, since workouts began on June 8. Additionally, the Tampa Bay Lightning had to shut down their arena and stop all workouts with three players and two staff members among the many new COVID cases in the state of Florida. The NHL shut down in the first place in part to avoid the spread of the virus among its players and staff, but the early signs show that re-starting the league this soon might not be possible if this remains a key objective.
Not so fast though, says the league. Michael Russo and James Mirtle of The Athletic released an in-depth piece earlier today that details the many concerns that player and other stakeholders have with the NHL’s plans to resume play, especially following the positive test confirmed yesterday. Yet, the most important piece of the article is this: the NHL is not considering delaying the start of Phase 3 at this time. The next stage in the league’s plan to return to play is to open training camps on July 10, just under three weeks from now. This would set up the start of the expanded postseason for early August, a timeline that the league hopes would allow them to complete the season, take time off for the off-season, and begin the 2020-21 campaign before the start of the new year. As of right now, 11 positive COVID tests are not enough for the NHL to slow their plan of attack.
Of course, the one caveat to all of these plans is that the players have not yet agreed to the terms of the return to play plan. While the NHL and NHLPA have worked together to approve a potential format that the majority of teams and players felt was fair, there still needs to be a formal vote in which the players agree to return from the league’s pause. With positive cases on the rise, concerns over the conditions related to returning to play, and some players still struggling with simply returning to their teams, all well detailed by Russo and Mirtle, a “yes” vote may not be as easy as it once seemed.
Nashville Goalies Prepare To Face Off
The Nashville Predators are mentally preparing to take on the Arizona Coyotes in their Stanley Cup Qualilfier whenever play resumes, a matchup that would presumably paint the Preds (.565 winning percentage) as favorites over the Coyotes (.529 winning percentage). Before that matchup, however, the Predators have to decide on a lead netminder for the five-game series. Both rostered goaltenders will get an equal shake at nabbing the top spot, per NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale. One of Pekka Rinne or Juuse Saros will start the series against the Coyotes in the net, but it’s going to depend on who is the most ready.
Based on resume alone, Rinne would be the easy choice. He’s anchored the Predators defense since 2008-2009, won the Vezina Trophy just two seasons ago, and the 37-year-old is 21st all-time with 2.42 Goals Against Average.
But in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately department, Saros might have the edge. The 24-year-old started a career-high 34 games this season while registering a .914 save percentage. By contrast, Rinne got the starting nod in 35 games but managed just a .895 save percentage. There are a couple of teams facing this brand of a changing of the guard in goal – the Golden Knights and Capitals, for example – and the decision is a peculiar one for these clubs.
Rinne has the track record, without a doubt, and Saros could very well be the goaltender of the future, but the task at hand for the Predators is deciding who will be more ready for playoff action under these peculiar circumstances. It might be that the younger Saros will be able to get his body up to speed faster. Or it could be that the veteran Rinne is more capable of handling the mental challenge of maintaining focus amid a global pandemic. It’ll be up to the Predators’ brain trust to decide.
Morreale provides this quote from Nashville coach John Hynes: “It’s a different thing for players now; they’ve got to leave their families, go to a hub city. Families aren’t going to be part of it. You’re not coming home after games, so this is all about the team, it’s all about the Nashville Predators and playing for the guy next to you. It’s also playing for their families and how do we incorporate this to commit to the level you need to commit to win in the playoffs.”
One Trade The Islanders Would Like To Have Back
While we await the return of the NHL, it’s a great time to look back at some of the influential transactions in NHL history. Yesterday we looked at the Capitals ill-fated midseason acquisition of winger Martin Erat. The deal cost them Filip Forsberg, who has developed the way Nashville hoped he would, while Erat provided little value at all during his short stay in Washington. But if we’re going to look at trades that helped shape our current era of NHL hockey – for better or worse – we should start at the top (or the bottom).
For trades worth second-guessing, there are very few as satisfying as the deal made between the Islanders and Senators way back in 2001. The deal sent Zdeno Chara to Ottawa along with Bill Muckalt and a 1st-round pick in exchange for Alexei Yashin. It’s frankly amazing that a deal from 2001 would include players still contributing in the NHL today, some nineteen years later, but that speaks to the impact of this transaction.
To find where the Islanders went wrong, there’s no better place to start than with Chara. Lots must go right for a player to reach his full potential, but that’s exactly what happened after Chara went to Ottawa. The deal came after Chara spent parts of four seasons in Long Island, and the then-23-year-old hadn’t really taken off. He was coming off a season in which he played in 82 games, but managed only 9 points and a plus/minus of -27. The Islanders weren’t a playoff team, finishing the 2000-2001 season in fifth place with 52 points.
Of course, things went much better for Chara from that point forth, as the hulking blueliner earned six Norris nominations (one win), seven All-Star honors, and he won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011. He’s also the NHL’s active leader in Plus/Minus (288) and Defensive Win Shares (99). The Senators only got four seasons from Chara, but they were among the best regular-season teams in the NHL during those years, making the playoffs each of those four seasons, and even managed to beat the Islanders in the first round of the 2002-2003 playoffs.
To make matters worse, Chara wasn’t the only piece the Islanders sent out on that ill-fated day in 2001. Bill Muckalt also went north in that deal, though the right-winger is at least one piece Islanders’ fans don’t have to lose sleep over. He played just one season in Ottawa, and he would be out of the league not two years later.
There’s one final piece. The Islanders sent the 2nd overall selection in the draft to the Senators, a pick that turned into center Jason Spezza. Spezza starred in the middle for eleven years in Ottawa, making two All-Star teams as one of the game’s stellar goal creators. He’s 91st all-time in the NHL now in Adjusted Points (1015) and 92nd all-time in Assists (599). At age-37, he’s a veteran presence on a Toronto Maple Leafs team that will look to enter the playoff field with a win against Columbus whenever play resumes.
Considering the Senators nabbed two all-timers from New York, this has to qualify as a pretty good deal for them. But there’s a give-and-take to every good deal right? Perhaps not so much. The Senators sent Alexei Yashin to the Islanders. Yashin was a fine player, just a year removed from a second-place finish for the Hart Trophy, but they gave up a lot to get him. To make matters worse, the Islanders doubled down and gave him a 10-year, $84MM contract less than three months after the trade, a contract that would have paid Yashin through his age-37 season. For examples of players remaining viable that deep into their careers, we need not look any further than Chara and Spezza. Unfortunately, the Islanders bet on the wrong horse. Yashin wouldn’t come close to recouping the value the Islanders poured into him. They bought him out after the sixth year.
Snapshots: Face Shields, Seattle Expansion, Toronto’s Hub Pitch
Some people around the NHL are exploring protections for players and other essential personnel for when play resumes. The focus of negotiations between the league and the NHLPA have largely focused on safety precautions and testing procedures for COVID-19, but those at Bauer, a hockey equipment manufacturer, is in talks with the league about an off-ice, lightweight visor that could help protect players and coaches, per Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press. A full face-shield for spectators will be met with some skepticism – as these types of changes often are – but Bauer vice president of global marketing Mary-Kay Messier is convinced that their new “integrated cap shield” could be benefit those near the ice. Said Messier, “There’s quite a lot of yelling from coaches. So when you think about and you talk about that yelling or loud talking that you are at greater risk for the droplets, I would say it is a very viable option at a lot of different levels.”
- The NHL’s next expansion team is set for Seattle, but they’re not rushing to reveal details like the team name – at least not yet, writes Sean Leahy of NBC Sports. Leahy provides a quote from Seattle hockey CEO Tod Leiweke, who said, “It’s not the right time. Vegas did it a year out. We’ve got ample time, and the thing this organization will never be is tone deaf. So we’ve got to pick the right time, and we’ve got to make sure all of our ducks are in a row.” Other benchmarks remain more-or-less on track, including the construction on the KeyArena. There may be a small delay, but nothing that will impact the ultimate timeline of bringing the NHL to Seattle.
- There are many practical concerns for resuming play in any of the potential hub cities, though Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave some hope to those host cities by supporting the idea of the NHL returning to play and allowing for provinces to make some decisions about best practices. Logistics and health concerns aside, The Star’s Kevin McGran makes the case for Toronto, citing the many restaurant and hotel options, as well as rink availability. Obviously, any potential hub city will have to provide many options on all three counts. McGran also notes that more NHL players hail from the greater Toronto area than anywhere else, which could help ease player concerns about being away from their families. Another boon to Toronto’s chances is the presence of Sportsnet, a national TV rightsholder.
Snapshots: Resuming Play, Viewing Experience, Blackhawks
The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association has thus far avoided much of the public acrimony that’s developed between other leagues and their players (namely, the MLB, but to a lesser extent, the NBA as well). But the largest hurdle is yet to come, per ESPN’s Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski. There is, of course, the final decision on the two hub cities, which will be put to a vote once the league makes their decision. But the conditions within those hubs are likely to be the biggest barrier to resuming play. Namely, players aren’t wild about being sequestered away from their families, reports Kaplan and Wyshynski. A major factor going into the selection of the hub cities is the extent of accommodations and dining options available, but those issues have largely been framed as a means to maintain player morale – not necessarily to accommodate families. Needless to say, these are not minor issues, and the players will surely have much to say on the issue when it comes time for the Phase 3 and Phase 4 votes. More from around the league on returning to action…
- In other parts of the hockey-verse, discussions are underway to alter the viewing experience of the NHL as we know it should play resume without fans, per The Athletic’s Sean Fitz-Gerald. Obviously, without fans present, the ambiance of playoff hockey is going to be much, much different. That said, interested parties are working on ways to make it work. Some ideas being kicked around are putting microphones on the players or lighting the ice to make it appear spotlit (blacking out the seats as much as possible). Of course, these are largely cosmetic issues for TV networks to work on while the logistics of returning to play are still being litigated. Regardless, expect at least a new wrinkle or two to your NHL broadcast if/when NHL players are back on the ice.
- For their part, the Blackhawks are looking inward as they prepare for a potential play-in series against the Oilers, per Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Chicago Sports. With coaches not allowed on the ice with players until the training camp portion of the reboot begins, players are focusing on their own conditioning and timing. That’s likely the plan moving forward, at least for the Blackhawks and coach Jeremy Colliton, who said, “For now, the focus has been our own players and their development and how can we improve within ourselves watching video of our own game. That’s how training camp will be, too. But as we get closer to that series, we’ll dig deeper and make sure we’ve covered all the bases.”
Peter Laviolette Considered Favorite For Devils Head Coach
Just yesterday it was reported that the New Jersey Devils had trimmed the list of candidates for their vacant head coach position to just four names. Given the long off-season awaiting the club, it seemed curious that they were moving quickly on the search, especially as they have yet to finalize their GM position as well. Yet, the Devils don’t seem to be slowing down. Only 24 hours later, a four-man list that included interim head coach Alain Nasreddine and three unknowns has now produced a favorite. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that Peter Laviolette has emerged as the favorite for the position.
Laviolette, 55, should not come as surprise as the top candidate on the Devils’ list, as he is arguably the best coach on the open market right now. Laviolette was most recently the head coach of the Nashville Predators, fired to the surprise of many back in January despite a winning record on the year and having led the Predators to the playoffs in each of his five full seasons with the team. Should Laviolette be the selection for New Jersey, it would become the fifth NHL franchise that he has led, joining the Predators, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, and Philadelphia Flyers. Laviolette has been a head coach in the league in 18 seasons dating all the way back to 2001-02, when he was the youngest bench boss in the league at 36. Laviolette has totaled more than 1200 games in his NHL coaching career and holds a .588 regular season points percentage, a Stanley Cup title with the Hurricanes in 2005-06, three Finals appearances, and 11 playoff appearances. The Boston native also won a Calder Cup and AHL Coach of the Year honors with the Providence Bruins, which ignited his NHL career.
Beyond the accolades, Laviolette’s style may also explain his top position among the Devils’ candidates. An intense personality, it shows in Laviolette’s fast-paced style and aggressive offensive game plans. Meanwhile, New Jersey has a young, skilled roster of players who can keep up with the taxing style that Laviolette prefers. The problem is that they have looked slow, disorganized, and unmotivated too often over the past few years. Former Predator P.K. Subban especially would likely enjoy being back in Laviolette’s system. Laviolette could help to turn the team around in a hurry, especially if his presence can also help the cap-comfortable Devils recruit some top free agents this summer.
Laviolette’s hiring is not set in stone. Dreger even admits that the uncertain status of interim GM Tom Fitzgerald could keep an official hire from happening soon. However, Laviolette certainly makes sense as the Devils’ top pick and would be an exciting addition to a franchise that desperately needs to take a step forward next season.
Playoff Notes: Player Concerns, Round Robin, Tampa Bay
It certainly seems like an NHL postseason is on the way, as the NHLPA approved continued talks of a 24-team playoff format on Friday. However, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun echoed the sentiment of the NHLPA’s statement when he reported that there are still concerns among the players. This initial vote was merely to continue making progress on the rough format of a 24-team structure, but there are details that still need to be hammered out. Specifically, LeBrun states that the players would prefer re-seeding after each round rather than the proposed bracket format. Further, the players were told that there is still indecision over whether that initial round of teams 5-12 in each conference would be a best-of-five or a best-of-seven series. The NHLPA will need to re-evaluate a final proposal before the league can make any official announcement.
- The idea of re-seeding does seem to be a more balanced and fair system for implementing this playoff structure. As currently proposed, the top seed in each conference would play the No. 8 or No. 9 team in the second round, while any of the other three bye seeds could wind up with an easier match-up following a bye in the first round. Especially if the first round is a best-of-five series, which would be more prone to upsets, the bracket format creates equity concerns. As Sportsnet’s Luke Fox describes, it also de-values the proposed round robin games between the top-four bye teams in each conference. This format is also still to be finalized, but the proposal was that the results of this round robin tournament would determine the seeding of those four bye teams. As Fox notes, if there is no real advantage to having the top seed in the bracket structure then there is not much to fight for in the round robin.
- One of the two teams who voted against the proposed 24-team playoff format was the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex Killorn, the team’s NHLPA rep, spoke with The Athletic’s Joe Smith about the reasons why the team did not support the decision. Killorn stated that his team did not feel that it was fair for teams that likely would not have made the playoffs under the normal circumstances to not only have a shot in this expanded field, but also to have a better chance of moving on with a limited five-game series. Tampa also took issue with the preparedness of the teams who had earned byes, a point that would be emphasized further if – as LeBrun and Fox warn – the bracket system leads to a round robin for the first-round bye teams that lacks real meaning. These are fair points made by Killorn and the Lightning, but it seems that without the details of the playoff structure formalized yet, these concerns could be quelled by seven-game series in the first-round and re-seeding after the round rather than a bracket structure.
Cory Schneider, Ryan Miller Discuss Playing Futures
The current pause in the NHL season has had a major effect on each and every player in the league and could have a lasting impact on careers beyond this year. However, veteran players may be influenced the most, as the past two months have provided insight as to what a life after hockey might look like. The New Jersey Devils’ Cory Schneider and the Anaheim Ducks’ Ryan Miller, two aging goalies whose futures were in question even before the pandemic, recently spoke on how they are feeling about their current circumstances and the outlook on the rest of their careers.
Schneider, 34, remains optimistic that his playing days are far from over. Schneider told NHL.com’s Mike Morreale that he is using this time to get back into “peak physical condition” and that he has not “entertained thoughts of retirement at all.” Schneider suffered a major core injury in 2015-16 and has not been the same player since. Once one of the league’s top goalies, his numbers have dropped precipitously year-to-year as he has struggled to stay healthy and to rediscover his elite form. Now passed up as the Devils’ started by young MacKenzie Blackwood, Schneider has two years left on his contract at $6MM AAV and would be a prime buyout candidate, standard or compliance, for New Jersey. However, Schneider’s hope is to remain with the team. “”I’m not naive to the business side of things,” Schneider explained, “but I feel that when I’m playing well, I can do a lot for our team on the ice and off the ice. That’s the role that I want to fill.” Schneider best chance to continue playing in a meaningful NHL role may also come with New Jersey. If he were bought out, Schneider would find himself in a free agent market this off-season that is chock-full of veteran keepers looking for one last contract and teams without much money to spend on aging backups.
Miller, 39, is part of that group. While Miller’s numbers in 2019-20 are the worst of his career, they are still palatable, especially in a backup role. Miller has in fact maintained a solid and at times stellar level of performance throughout his late 30’s. While no one would blame the former star netminder for calling it quits at his age with his resume, Miller has maintained that he would like to continue playing. Previously, the obstacles to that plan were Miller’s insistence on remaining in the California area near his family, as well as the aforementioned market, which also includes names like Mike Smith, Jimmy Howard, Craig Anderson, Corey Crawford, and Brian Elliott as older names who are past their prime and just looking for one last go-round. However, Miller recently spoke to Sportsnet’s Gene Principe and admitted that the COVID-19 pause has placed another roadblock in the way of extending his career: not wanting to leave newfound day-to-day role with his family amid the return to a “new normal” post-pandemic. “There’s a lot of talk here in California that schools are not going to be fully in session possibly into next year. That changes the dynamic around the house and what needs to happen and what’s important,” Miller stated, adding “what that means for sports and life – and wrapped up in that is family and how family is going to need to be taken care of during this time.” It remains to be seen whether remaining with the Ducks would be an option for Miller and if that would even allow him to be comfortable in his role with his family. If not, no one would blame Miller for hanging up his skates and his departure would allow for one other veteran keeper, perhaps even Schneider, to continue pursuing his career dreams.
New York Rangers Owner James Dolan Diagnosed With COVID-19
While there are now four cases of NHL players testing positive for COVID-19, no individual has been named as of yet. However, a member of the NHL community has now officially been recognized as a victim of the Coronavirus pandemic. The NBA’s New York Knicks announced that owner James Dolan has tested positive for COVID-19. Dolan owns both the Knicks and New York Rangers and is the Executive Chairman and CEO of the Madison Square Garden Company.
Fortunately, the report indicates that Dolan, 64, is “experiencing little to no symptoms.” He and his family remain in self-isolation in their home in the Hamptons, while Dolan still continues to oversee business operations for the Madison Square Garden Company.
One of his recent decisions was in fact to set up the “MSG Relief Fund” to financially assist employees at this time, per The New York Post’s Larry Brooks. The company donated $1MM, which was then matched by Dolan’s personal Dolan Family Foundation.
The Rangers have not made an announcement of their own on Dolan’s condition, continuing a trend across the NHL of refraining from public comment on Coronavirus diagnoses. By all accounts though, Dolan is the first owner in the NHL – or NBA for that matter – to have tested positive for COVID-19. It is not believed at this time that any Rangers players have been tested for the virus.
While battling this sickness, Dolan is still undoubtedly one of the NHL owners lobbying for a continuation of the NHL regular season, if at all possible. While the Knicks are among the worst teams in the NBA, the Rangers had picked up steam before the league’s “pause” and were in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race. If the NHL was to jump directly into the standard 16-team postseason upon their return to action, the Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Florida Panthers would all narrowly miss the playoffs while – a worst-case scenario for Rangers fans – the rival New York Islanders would claim the final spot in the East.