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.
Moreover, 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 June-July.
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. 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.
