As the clock continues to tick toward the NHL's target start date for the new season, in mid-January, talk of playing at least some games in hubs is getting louder.
From a health and safety standpoint, it makes sense. Case numbers are high in many jurisdictions, and it's not hard to imagine them going even higher after Christmas.
Also, there are restrictions on gathering sizes in place in many areas. Here in B.C., adult sports are shut down until at least January 8. I can imagine the Canucks getting the OK to hold training camp starting January 3, in a format similar to what we saw during the summer. But the provincial health authorities have kiboshed the Canucks' request to use camp as a cohort quarantine for players who are returning from other regions. And my guess is that they won't take kindly to games: two teams, plus the broadcast crew and other support staff, would quickly add up to more than 50 people.
On Wednesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke on a panel by videoconference at Moscow's World Hockey Forum.
Most of what he said lines up with what has already been reported — such as the division re-alignment, and play only within divisions. But the talk of potentially starting with hub cities seems like it has been ratcheted up.
"We don't think we can conduct an entire regular season that way," Commissioner Bettman said. "But circumstances, depending on where COVID[-19] is spiking and where the medical system is being taxed at any given time, may require us to adjust.
"So, for example, we have a couple of clubs that can't hold training camp or conduct games even without fans in their current buildings and facilities, and we're going to have to move them somewhere else to play.
"If enough teams can't play, again, without fans, in their own facilities, then we may have to move more and more towards a hub. It may be that some teams are playing in other buildings. It may be that a whole group of teams have to play in other buildings.
The conversation has gone far enough that Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has some potential hub city locations:
It'll be interesting to see how this gets packaged together in a fashion that will be approved by the players, who were pretty unilateral about not returning to another bubble experience.
Obviously, any team that's in a region where it's allowed to host games with even some fans in the stands will likely be chomping at the bit to do so. We could get an idea of how that might work by watching the NBA and seeing how that unfolds for them.
Their regular season starts up in less than a week's time.
The Raptors, for instance,
are allowed to have fans for both their exhibition game and regular-season games at their temporary home at Amalie Arena in Tampa, home of the Lightning.
Here are the protocols that will be in place:
• Socially distant seat availability, with fewer than 3,200 seats available for pre-season game, and 3,800 seats available for regular-season matchups.
• No floor seats, nor will there be any seats available within 30 feet of the court.
• All fans will be required to wear a mask the entire time they're at the venue (with the exception of those under two years of age).
• Enhanced surface and air disinfection systems will be in place.
• In additional to physical distancing in the stands, fans must also distance themselves in all areas of the venue.
• A health survey screening will be conducted for all guests upon entry in the facility.
• All payments (parking lot, in-venue food and beverages) will be cashless.
• Bags are prohibited inside the venue.
While every operator is going to be doing all it can to generate revenue and try to get the books back to a balanced state, the playing field is going to look very different for the next few months. There are always differences in how much money can be made in various markets — impacted by everything from what ticket prices the market will bear to the amount of ancillary revenue that can be generated from a facility, sponsorship revenue, and profits from sales of merchandise and licensed products. Ticket sales are only one element of the equation; they could end up helping some of the league's less financially successful teams in the early going.
TSN's Insider Trading feature on Tuesday included a chart with the number of players who are currently training in each Canadian market. Short version: the Canucks have some catching up to do.
The TSN panel also indicated that roster sizes are another subject that is causing challenges in the return to play negotiations — how many players, what are the restrictions, how would the taxi squads work?
They indicated that, cap-wise, call-ups would work the same as if players were being moved to and from the AHL — in other words, only up to $1.075 million of a player's cap hit could potentially be re-assigned. I'm still waiting to see what will happen with players who opt out for Covid-related health reasons. Would they still be paid? Whether they are or not, would their salaries count against the cap?
In an article on The Athletic that posted Tuesday,
Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal indicated that the Canucks' current decision-making processes are very much being influenced by cash-flow issues — to the point that even if they do start the season with cap space, they could very well leave it open and go with their inexpensive young players rather than trying to go after another veteran piece, like a Travis Hamonic.
This situation is also likely contributing to the hold-up in getting Travis Green signed to a contract extension. Considering that deal wouldn't take effect until the 2021-22 season, I'm still expecting that'll get done before the puck is dropped for this season. Green also still needs to add another assistant to his staff, to replace the departed Manny Malhotra.
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