Matt Ross: Is It Time To Call The Season?

i think both nhl and NBA will finish the season.

i think both nhl and NBA will finish the season.
- RogerRoeper

Thanks for chiming in, Roger.

I could see it happening, I’m just curious how it will and what it will be like, you know?

At this point if it can continue is it worth putting an asterisk on the cup so don’t wind up screwing the draft, trades made at the TDL and to try an recoup some revenue going forward.

Don’t get me wrong the handing out the cup is the most important part of the year but in the grand scheme of how the league operates it’s pretty minor, so will putting an asterisk on it really matter if doing so can allow the league to operate as close to normal as possible.

I’ve seen some say that even if we shortened next season next year will have an asterisk on it as well but I don’t recall anyone saying that about Chicago’s cup win in 2013.

Either way this is all hypothetical on *if we can return which I think based on proposed timelines the latest we can push a decision to being early august.

When you pick up assets at the trade deadline, it’s all a gamble.
Shaq is right you won’t get the respect. Listen chicken of the sea still tastes like tuna not chicken.

When you pick up assets at the trade deadline, it’s all a gamble.
Shaq is right you won’t get the respect. Listen chicken of the sea still tastes like tuna not chicken.
- Tee56

I’ve never heard that one before

At this point if it can continue is it worth putting an asterisk on the cup so don’t wind up screwing the draft, trades made at the TDL and to try an recoup some revenue going forward.

Don’t get me wrong the handing out the cup is the most important part of the year but in the grand scheme of how the league operates it’s pretty minor, so will putting an asterisk on it really matter if doing so can allow the league to operate as close to normal as possible.

I’ve seen some say that even if we shortened next season next year will have an asterisk on it as well but I don’t recall anyone saying that about Chicago’s cup win in 2013.

Either way this is all hypothetical on *if we can return which I think based on proposed timelines the latest we can push a decision to being early august.
- RedC21

Good points, Red. Wow, I had not heard August - interesting...

I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT ON , LET DO THE DRAFT, AND JULY 1 DO THE FREE AGENT SIGNING, . IF NEED BE LET PLAY A 90 GAME SCHEDULE NEXT YEAR TO RECOUP SOME MONEY FOR THE OWNERS AND TV COMPANY

Good points, Red. Wow, I had not heard August - interesting...
- Matt Ross

That’s just my own thoughts that if the league were to be willing to wait to restart until September/October my guess is a decision would likely have to come in august due to the 2 week quarantine time

That’s just my own thoughts that if the league were to be willing to wait to restart until September/October my guess is a decision would likely have to come in august due to the 2 week quarantine time
- RedC21

It’s going to be interesting to see what the direction is.

I do think there will be a vote of some kind between the league and the Players Association, based on Danault’s comments from a couple weeks back.

If they play, this year cup winner will have an asterisk, or at least it should. I say cancel the season!!

It’s not close to being the same as winning in a regular year.

The NHL year and playoffs is a war of attrition. Battling through injuries is a major part of it. Having teams all
Come back healthy seems like a meaningless pre season tournament.

Anyway, I miss it as much as the next fan, but it’s not worth the health risks and should just be called.

Yes, pretty much every other sports league in the world has done the sensible thing and canceled what remained of their season.

I don’t agree at all. There will be no asterisk. Shaq should keep his nose out of hockey. A cup is a cup! People are starved for sports through Covid. Bring it on (safely). It will raise everyone’s spirits!

It's all about money at this point. If a support staff, maintenance worker or a 4th line play gets this and dies then its "Oh too bad we'll be more careful." If a star player or owner gets sick then they may stop the season. It's all about money and the star players no one else.

It’s going to be interesting to see what the direction is.

I do think there will be a vote of some kind between the league and the Players Association, based on Danault’s comments from a couple weeks back.
- Matt Ross

I agree I think that there will have to be a vote to return from the players.

That said I think the players of teams out of it see it’s senseless for them to do so and players that fear for their lives from covid will be in the minority. There will be plenty of players even on non-playoff teams that will want a return for financial implications.

I think all hockey fans are getting anxious and want a yes/no answer today rather than pushing it off but this will take time

If they play, this year cup winner will have an asterisk, or at least it should. I say cancel the season!!

It’s not close to being the same as winning in a regular year.

The NHL year and playoffs is a war of attrition. Battling through injuries is a major part of it. Having teams all
Come back healthy seems like a meaningless pre season tournament.

Anyway, I miss it as much as the next fan, but it’s not worth the health risks and should just be called.
- Ross77

You're good with tossing aside a potential $350M in monies if the 24 team playoff format is fully played?

Easy for you to say just cancel it.

When you pick up assets at the trade deadline, it’s all a gamble.
Shaq is right you won’t get the respect. Listen chicken of the sea still tastes like tuna not chicken.
- Tee56

I don't think Shaq is right, but ultimately, if your name is on the cup because you were part of the team that won it this year, who gives a (frank) about 'respect'.

They had the good sense to cancel the cup in 1919; and I think that’s the way to go now.

That said, the Cup has been awarded under many different playoff (and challenge series) formats so I don’t really have a problem with doing things different. If you can’t tell me who the playoff format favors before they start the playoffs it’s as legit as any other cup run. But still, it will be looked at as the winner of a bizarre season.

I'd like to see them finish out the season with the Cup being skated. But the continuity is long lost, it really would seem like a new season.

Another FL prospect not panning out? Is it on Borgstrom or on the organization? Seems to be a mix of both. Will be interesting to see how this plays out. It was said that Borgstrom was the desired return in some possible trades the last couple of seasons, but Tallon wouldn't include him. And now it's coming to this. Maybe this works out, and Borgstrom will remain a Panther. He's had the opening made for him, and hasn't been able to seize it, and now he's unhappy with his role.... I don't really know what to think, but it seems to me like this is more on Borgstrom.
https://therattrick.com/2...red-to-return-to-finland/

I'd like to see them finish out the season with the Cup being skated. But the continuity is long lost, it really would seem like a new season.

- Ratsreign

Dead-on, Rats. This is precisely why starting the season again would be a move of zero integrity.

Why would there be an asterisk? 2013 has no asterisk. 1995 has no asterisk. Why would this season? I don't get it. Every team plays with the same advantage of being able to get healthy, and every team plays with the disadvantage of rink rust.

Why would there be an asterisk? 2013 has no asterisk. 1995 has no asterisk. Why would this season? I don't get it. Every team plays with the same advantage of being able to get healthy, and every team plays with the disadvantage of rink rust.
- Kyleponi23

It isn't the same. In each lockout year, the seasons had continuity. Here, there would be at least a 3 month delay. Teams that were not healthy would get healthy and get a boost for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. Attrition is a major part of any sport season and that aspect would be lost with a restart.

Thanks for weighing in, guys. Some good points here and things I didn’t think of.

One of the things that’s interesting (and where the asterisk comes in for me) is when it comes to big playoff pool idea, and the potential of a team (that would have probably not been in the playoffs), possibly going deep/all the way.

I’m probably misunderstanding that, but wouldn’t it be more like a tournament, this making the season’s work not really count for a lot?

Maybe that’s how it has to be in these circumstances, I’m not sure. But it would feel like a different league/set of rules to me.

I’m curious to see what they do.

Just seems like a wash to me, every team has nagging to serious injuries that they would be able to recover from. It's not like anybody got any extra time off. I get the continuity aspect of it.

I have been saying since early March, when murmours of a "pause" were coming, that they should just get it over with and cancel, however. But the idea that the season gets finished, and a full playoffs are played entirely healthy and rusty intrigues me. It would be loosey goosey hockey like that Pittsburgh/Philadelphia 7 game series from a few years back. The one with 100% PP efficiency for both teams going into Game #5, and goalies leaking like sieves. It would be awesome.

I'd like to see them finish out the season with the Cup being skated. But the continuity is long lost, it really would seem like a new season.

Another FL prospect not panning out? Is it on Borgstrom or on the organization? Seems to be a mix of both. Will be interesting to see how this plays out. It was said that Borgstrom was the desired return in some possible trades the last couple of seasons, but Tallon wouldn't include him. And now it's coming to this. Maybe this works out, and Borgstrom will remain a Panther. He's had the opening made for him, and hasn't been able to seize it, and now he's unhappy with his role.... I don't really know what to think, but it seems to me like this is more on Borgstrom.
https://therattrick.com/2...red-to-return-to-finland/
- Ratsreign

It’s a tough one, Rats. I totally agree that he’s had a number of opportunities, just hasn’t been able to seize them.

Some great flashes, but not the “staying power” he/the team needs.