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 a few weeks ago, “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 could reconvene at some point this Summer.
Bubble Life
Darren Dreger, Frank Seravalli, and Pierre LeBrun are now indicating that the NHL plans to enter phase two, which is the re-opening of practice facilities for small group workouts by mid-late May. The hope is for the season to reconvene at some point in late June, July, or even in August. However, this was met with some concerns from some players this week. Some players right now are concerned about the “Bubble Life” they would be living in:
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 weeks, and we discussed it on episode 4 on our Podcast “Gettin Gritty Wit It” weeks ago.
One topic of discussion from the Board of Governors in the NHL has been neutral sites, and four phases. 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 July or August. The NHL is hoping to move into Phase Two by the middle to the end of May at the earliest (Re-opening of facilities), depending on the virus and states of course.
NHL Draft
The NHL is in no rush to announce a date for the upcoming draft. There are many rumors, to which the earliest is early June. I want to reiterate there is no tentative date set yet. Many different factors play in here. If hockey reconvenes, and the draft is held before the season concludes. The question then becomes can player trades happen at the draft? What to do with conditional picks? How would the draft order be set…based off point percentages in the standings or a roll back of games played? The NHL is in no rush to make a decision and want to get this right before moving forward. For once the Flyers are in a good spot overall, and conditional picks do not pertain to them.
Playoff Format
The NHL is considering a 16, 20, and even a 24 team playoff format. Unbelievable right? The NHL would roll back to an across the board number of games played that would determine the standings. At the end of the day Gary Bettman will do what is necessary to have this season reconvene, and that includes many Flyers players, as well.
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. 30 minute Covid-19 tests are being made available now, so a possibility of sports reconvening without spectators is becoming more of a possibility.
