Bettman and the committee recently conducted calls, with regularly scheduled meetings to followGETTY IMAGES
The NHL and NHLPA together have established a Return to Play Committee, and discussions thus far have "not honed in on details as much as concepts," according to Larry Brooks of the N.Y. POST. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, Exec VP & Dir of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell and Senior VP/Scheduling Steve Hatze Petros "represent the NHL," while the NHLPA is represented by Exec Dir Don Fehr, Fehr's Special Assistant, Mathieu Schneider, General Counsel Don Zavelo, Divisional Player Rep Steve Webb and active players John Tavares, Connor McDavid, James van Riemsdyk, Mark Scheifele and Ron Hainsey. Medical advisers from both the league and union are "added to the calls when appropriate." The committee "conducted a pair of conference calls over the past three days with regularly scheduled 'meetings' to follow" as hockey eyes a return to play. Brooks noted details on the calls will "determine not only whether the NHL can develop a pragmatic plan in the midst of a pandemic, but whether the players will agree to it." Sources said that under the NHL's four-arena plan, Toronto and Columbus are "leading contenders to become two of the host cities." The plan "would be for all teams to hold their training camps of up to three weeks at their assigned centralized locations" (N.Y. POST, 4/26).
READY & WILLING: In Boston, Kevin Paul Dupont cited a source as saying that Bruins Owner Jeremy Jacobs has "expressed interest" in TD Garden being "considered among the so-called 'centralized' or 'neutral' sites if play can be resumed." However, the source emphasized that Jacobs is "among some 20 owners who have evinced an interest in using their arenas as potential hosts" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/25). In Las Vegas, David Schoen noted the city has a "longstanding relationship with the league and hosted the NHL Awards every year but one" since '09. With several hotels on the Strip near T-Mobile Arena, players and staff "could be easily accommodated," and McCarran Int'l Airport’s proximity to the Strip also "enables direct travel from players in Europe, if necessary." In addition to hotel capacity, T-Mobile Arena is equipped with multiple locker rooms, as Bettman said that that is a "requirement of any site the NHL chooses" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/25). Flames GM Brad Treliving said, "I can tell you the league is still committed and eager to get back when the time is right," adding his team "would love to be involved in terms of hosting." Still, he is adamant that players "require training camp before a season could resume." He explained, "We’re going to be approaching two months here and in a lot of cases, even after the season players don’t take this much time off. You need reps. We’ll be going from zero to 60 here pretty quick. The last thing you want to do is bring people back and all of a sudden you’ve got a rash of injuries” (CP, 4/24).
SOMEWAY, SOMEHOW: Blues D Marco Scandella said, "It’s gonna be tough to say: ‘Let’s just scratch this season.' I feel like everyone’s worked hard to get to this point. For me, we have to finish. I feel like we have to find a way to play. Even if it’s without fans. It’s not gonna be that fun, but I feel like we owe it to hockey" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 4/27). In Pittsburgh, Mark Madden writes the NHL’s latest restart plan "sounds OK.” The league "ditched the notion of stationing pods of teams in far-flung locales like Saskatoon and North Dakota," instead planning to "use three or four NHL rinks in cities that aren’t hit too hard by covid-19 and have plenty of practice ice." Arenas with more than one big-league tenant "won’t be used." The biggest cities also "won’t host," for if the virus returns in force, those are "likely targets." Three games per day would "get played in each city." Pittsburgh and PPG Paints Arena reportedly are "under consideration." UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry is an "ideal practice facility and could host games in a pinch," while the partnership with the Pitt Medical Center is a "big plus given the circumstances" (TRIBLIVE.com, 4/24). In Toronto, Damien Cox writes playing in August without fans "won’t be a good scenario under any circumstance," and it is "hard to imagine it would be good television." But one also has to "understand Bettman’s business predicament." A full four rounds of playoffs with games played in, say, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Carolina and Vegas "would be strange, but it would produce a legitimate champion" (TORONTO STAR, 4/27).
DESPERATION SETTING IN? In Toronto, Steve Simmons wrote the "economic desperation" of Bettman is "apparent as the commissioner fights, against so many odds, to find a way to complete" this NHL season. Simmons: "This is how you can measure Bettman’s desperation. In most years -- and in the worst years, like lockout years -- he would barely be available to answer a question or do an interview. His smugness would be front and centre. These days, he’s Mr. TV, Mr. Casual. He’s everywhere. He’s on networks we’ve never heard of. He’s smiling in interviews with Ron MacLean, whom he tried to get fired at Sportsnet. But business comes first for Bettman and always has." Meanwhile, the NBA is "taking almost the opposite public approach to the NHL." Commissioner Adam Silver is "waiting rather than saying much of anything." The league has a "plan to proceed," but only if there is a "chance to proceed." Silver has been adamant that “the data, not the date” will determine the league’s next move (TORONTO SUN, 4/26). In Toronto, Cathal Kelly wrote while insisting that nothing has been decided, Bettman is "on a media push to see how his decisions are going over" (GLOBE & MAIL, 4/24). In Vancouver, Ed Willes writes the NHL's "calculation here is over the risk and the reward," and the risk to the NHL is "gargantuan on so many levels." There are "smart people running the league." But there also are "greedy people running the league." With "so much at stake," the NHL "better get it right" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 4/27).
