PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 15: An overall view of the arena is shown prior to the start of this afternoon's game featuring the Philadelphia Flyers against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center on April 15, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
Photo Credit: Getty Images
The majority of hockey enthusiasts throughout the World are hoping for the season to reconvene at some point. Talks throughout the league continue to ensue weekly, with the NHLPA and NHL working together, hand-in-hand to see that this happens. Thanks to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who just happens to be the nation’s top infectious disease expert, it may happen sooner rather than later, and this quote has been originally derived from espn.com, “Nobody comes to the stadium,” Fauci told Peter Hamby, “Put [the players] in big hotels, wherever you want to play, keep them very well surveilled. … Have them tested every single week and make sure they don’t wind up infecting each other or their family, and just let them play the season out.” The NHL has vowed to work hand-in-hand with the CDC, and this continues to be an option that has been floated around for the past few weeks. Dr. Fauci’s comments really should give fans a sense of optimism that hockey will reconvene at some point this Summer.
To clarify all players who are willing to participate would be tested for COVID-19, and be quarantined a few weeks before the season were to begin, with a small training camp of some sort to ensue. Of course, these players would not be able to leave this neutral site, they would be quarantined together with no outside contact (To include no spectators). My comrade Yariv Wolok has been saying this for the past few weeks, and we discussed it on our latest episode on our Podcast “Gettin Gritty Wit It”:
One topic of discussion from the Board of Governors in the NHL has been neutral sites. There has been some talk for neutral sites possibly being in Manchester, NH, and North Dakota. This is one way that hockey could reconvene in May/June/July.
This appears to be the most logical way for the season to ensue, it would also give people around the World hope, and a sense of normalcy. At the end of the day dollars and cents matter in sports, but so does the health of players, coaches, trainers, broadcasters, and media, as well. 15 minute Covid-19 tests are being made available now, so a possibility of sports reconvening without spectators is becoming more of a possibility.
That’s great that sports will restart,but it’s just not going to be the same,without the spectators cheering.Icheering.Its going to be an empty arena,all the sounds your used to will no longer be there.You will hear lots of echoing when a puck contacts a stick,and when a goal is scored your going to hear the puck hitting the metal goal,voices of the players and referees will now be heard rather clearly.Great for hockey,but expect a whole different experience.