(Photo by Len Redkoles/NHL I via Getty Images)
With the immediate future of major sports as we know them still in a bit of a limbo, the NHL is yet to announce a plan of attack for what will become the 2021 season. Initial hopes were to be playing regular season games by early December, but unsurprisingly, those ambitions were too utopian. Even the current targeted start date of January 1st appears to be overly optimistic as that would require the season to start six weeks from today. The intentions are for an abridged sixty game season to take place, and for teams to play at their home rinks, however nothing is set in stone.
There has been talk of “bubble” play again, similar to what fans saw for the Stanley Cup Playoffs earlier this year, but with several additional bubbles that teams rotate in and out of every few weeks. Just earlier yesterday ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski reported on a potential division realignment. If true, it shows the NHL is still working out what next season will actually look like, and they are absolutely willing to think outside the box.
As we know, gate revenue is a huge part of the NHL’s business model, and any ways of salvaging some of that revenue could provide a much needed boost. Unlike the NBA, which has adhered to similar protocols and scheduling as the NHL has since the beginning of the pandemic, the NHL has the liberty of being able to play outdoor games in the majority of their markets, for at least three months of the 2021 season. Tampa and Miami would be the only two markets that really wouldn’t be able to host any of their games outside – more on that in a second.
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The MLB and NFL have had success in allowing limited attendance at events since October. Of course all of this hinges on what local and state legislation are comfortable with, as just last week spectators’ abilities to attend large events in Philadelphia were revoked. However, it also doesn’t mean every NHL club would have to play right in their home city. Times like these require creativity.
For instance, the Flyers could maybe see themselves playing a number of their games at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, or First Energy Stadium in Reading, or even something more off the beaten path. A team like the LA Kings, despite Los Angeles’ sometimes chilly winter temperatures, could consider venturing to a facility a bit deeper inland in order to keep a cooler temperature around the clock. However, outdoor hockey has been done in Los Angeles. Phoenix and Dallas shouldn’t have much of an issue, contrary to what comes to mind when thinking of Arizona and Texas, they do have fairly cold winters.
Then there are the Florida teams. They’d be a bit upstream without a paddle if they had to host any outdoor games, unless they wanted to experiment with different markets, in a more appropriate climate, that are currently without professional hockey. Granted, Florida is currently enjoying the most relaxed Covid restrictions, and if the teams, the league, and fans were comfortable with it, a fully indoor season may be feasible, with limited fans.
The hypothesizing could go on for some time, and quite frankly, it’s fun to scratch the surface as an armchair league executive, but the most important piece of this puzzle would likely be the NHLPA. We’ve all seen an outdoor game, the playing conditions, even in cold-winter-cities like Philadelphia can be very subpar. It may create an unfair advantage for teams in Canada and northern states who enjoy colder temperatures, and therefore better ice, but money does have a way with words.
Obviously, there’s a lot to take into consideration when tossing around the idea of a portion of the season being played outdoors. It might not be ideal for the NHL, unless they can somehow project absolutely huge revenue figures that wouldn’t be achievable without spectators and outdoor games. It’s all hypothetical, but it’s creative. And sometimes in unprecedented times like these, creativity is all you got.
