Vegas Golden Knights Owner said that the idea of using a central location is still on the tableGETTY IMAGES
Golden Knights Owner Bill Foley said that the league has a BOG call today, and he "hopes for more clarity about the upcoming season, including key dates, virus protocols, arena plans and more," according to Justin Emerson of the LAS VEGAS SUN. While bubbles are not expected for the '20-21 season, Foley said that the "idea of using a central location is still on the table." He said that in order to reduce travel, several teams "could fly to one city and play multiple games." Meanwhile, there have been "rumblings about some owners not wanting to play the season because of financial constraints." But Foley said that he "is not among them." He sent a note to his investors that the team is "prepared for a season without the usual revenue streams" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 12/9). NHL Network's Elliotte Friedman said the league wants to get an agreement on logistics "towards the end of this week, beginning of next week because if we are going to start" the season on Jan. 13, "we have to get moving" (“NHL Tonight,” NHL Network, 12/8).
CANADIAN DIVISION MORE LIKELY: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that a new division with all Canadian teams "would likely be necessary because of travel restrictions between the United States and Canada." Bettman: "If everything stays the way it is, we're probably going to have to have a Canadian division and realign in the U.S., and we're trying to focus on dealing with all of those challenges." He added, "We're still a work in progress. There's much to be determined" (NHL.com, 12/8).
SUIT UP? THE HOCKEY NEWS' Ken Campbell wrote the reality "may very well be that nothing has been sorted out" between the NHL and NHLPA when it comes to their "economic stalemate and that they have basically gone back to their battle stations." There will be "no increase in the 20 percent escrow to which the players agreed, nor will the players be required to defer any more than 10 percent of their salaries in 2020-21." That was all agreed upon in the extension of the CBA in the summer, yet the owners "came back with an attempt to bump escrow for this season up to 25 percent and salary deferral to 26 percent." The fact that apparently "won't happen doesn't prevent the NHL from pressing to prorate player salaries next season." Nor does it necessarily "prevent the league from invoking a force majeure to try to get concessions from the players." There are those who "believe that the landscape changed, not because the NHL backed down from its original gambit to receive concessions from the players, but because of something happened." In late November and early December, the NBA went to the private markets "to secure $900 million at discounted interest rates that it is distributing to each of its teams." NHL player agent Anton Thun said, "In my opinion, the players got bolstered when the NBA found a solution that the NHL hasn't been talking about" (SI.com, 12/8).
THINKING ON THEIR FEET: In Toronto, Michael Traikos writes it "looks like the NHL is making this up as it goes along." Traikos: "We said the same thing when Bettman unveiled his plan for the playoffs back in May." This is a "different beast altogether." Fans "still don't know how the league plans to do this," not with the numbers expected to get even worse after the holidays. The NHL is "getting creative." There is talk of "shortening the season and expanding the rosters and limiting travel," and there is talk of "hub cities and holding outdoor games." The plan "seems built on one principle: get through this season as safely and cheaply as possible" (TORONTO SUN, 12/9).
