Lindy Ruff reportedly to coach the Devils. The Ivy Leagues cancelling fall sports, which impacts the Rangers. Additional news regarding the CBA and start dates slowly trickling out.
Per Kevin Weekes,
the Devils will name Lindy Ruff as their next coach. New Jersey is notoriously tight lipped and no official word has been given, but the team is reportedly to hold a press conference tomorrow to name their new coach. All signs point to Ruff getting the nod. If accurate, unclear if he will stay with the team for however long the Rangers are in the playoffs. But he would not be the first coach to take on a new role for next season and stay with his current team. In addition, given how crazy the current situation is, to add a new dynamic in the mix by having someone else coach the D - as palatable that is to many - might not be the wisest approach as camps open Monday. If New York and Ruff do separate once he signs, look for Greg Brown to coach the defense for now with management and Quinn to bring in a new coach next season.
Ruff has been a polarizing figure - to be say it mildly - amongst Rangers' faithful. The team's defensive struggles under both coach Alain Vigneault and David Quinn have been laid at the feet of Ruff. The same for the issues on the penalty kill. which did improve the latter part of the season. New York's problems in their own end were most certainly largely due to the system, though it is questionable as to whether that is because of Ruff or he is following the directive of the coaches. With Ruff now on the other side of the tunnel, the Blueshirts' D sure better take a major step forward because he will no longer be around to blame.
The
Ivy League has suspended all sports for the fall semester. Whether the start of those sports can be moved back to the spring is up in the air. New York is potentially positively impacted, because Morgan Barron, who has yet to decide if he will stay in school or sign with the Rangers, will need to consider this news. Barron wants to earn a national title and also earn his degree. The delay in the start of the season impacts his first decision, especially since the possibility exists that the whole campaign could be wiped out. The Blueshirts will welcome Barron with open arms whenever he signs, this news though could alter the timing.
We now have a
timeframe for the Stanley Cup Finals, draft, opening of training camp and season start date. Per Elliotte Freidman, the Cup is to be played between September 20 and October 2, COVID permitting while the NHL draft is tentatively slated for October 6. Training camps are to open November 17 with the season slated to begin December 1.
I personally thought January 1 made sense to start the 2020-21 season. Understand that the players and teams have been off ever since the middle of March. But this compressed timeframe between the end of the current season and the start of the following one is an insufficient amount of time between the two. Granted, to get 82 games in beginning January 1 would require moving back the end of the season. This, though, would be the wisest course of action and more prudent way to handle the 2020-21 season.
Free agency is slated to begin October 9, and in a move that makes little sense, per the new CBA, the free agency interview period has now been eliminated. We will now all be back to being amazed when signings occur in the first hour or two on the date it starts. Wink, wink, discussions and deals under the table.
Full run down of dates, per Frank Seravalli:
July 10 – Beginning of training camp
July 24 – Travel to hub cities
July 25 – Beginning of exhibition games
July 31 – Beginning of qualifying round
Aug. 9 – Beginning of Stanley Cup Playoffs
Aug. 23 – Beginning of Second Round
Sep. 6 – Beginning of Conference Finals
Sep. 20 – Beginning of Stanley Cup Final
Oct. 2 – Last possible day of Stanley Cup Final
Oct. 6 – 2020 NHL Entry Draft
Oct. 9 – Opening of free agency
Nov. 17 – Beginning of training camp for 2020-21 season
Dec. 1 – Beginning of 2020-21 regular season
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