CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Since the coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic forced the NHL to pause its 2019-20 schedule, hockey fans are wondering when the league will resume action.
Last week brought the first indication of the NHL’s plans to restart the season. Commissioner Gary Bettman said a scenario is under consideration where up to three games per day would be played without fans in several regional neutral-site NHL cities where COVID-19 cases are low.
The remainder of the schedule would be completed with inter-divisional play, followed by the usual four-round, best-of-seven playoff series. The league apparently rejected playing in non-NHL locations because of a lack of suitable accommodations, transportation and training facilities in those areas.
Bettman insisted there isn’t a rush to return, stressing the importance of ensuring the health and safety of everyone who would be involved in those games. But during a recent conference call, Florida Panthers president Matthew Caldwell suggested the league is considering reopening in July.
Finding four or five suitable divisional cities could be difficult. Big-market NHL cities like Montreal, New York and Los Angeles are likely out because of the high numbers of COVID-19 cases and strict social-distancing restrictions in those areas. Boston would also be out of the equation, despite Bruins owner (and NHL board of governors chairman) Jeremy Jacobs proposing TD Garden as the Atlantic Division rink.
Edmonton would check all the boxes for a Pacific Division host. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney last week said Bettman discussed the possibility with him. However, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health’s recent recommendation to ban public events of more than 15 people until the end of summer could take Edmonton out of the picture. Winnipeg, meanwhile, was ruled out because of accommodation issues.
Columbus, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Toronto are believed among the preferred sites. Dallas, Las Vegas and Tampa Bay are other rumoured candidates, though their locations make it difficult to maintain suitable ice conditions.
The NHL doesn’t intend to immediately pick up where it left off. Bettman, NHL Players’ Association executive director Donald Fehr, other league officials and several players indicated a training camp period is necessary to provide sufficient time for the players to return to game shape and ensure everyone involved receives sufficient COVID-19 testing.
Recent reports suggest all players would return to their NHL clubs in their appropriate neutral-site cities by May 15, ensuring a two-week period of small-group training under quarantine conditions. Full training camps would begin on June 1, followed by reopening the schedule sometime in early July.
NHL officials caution this scenario is merely one of several under consideration. The course of the pandemic, as well as assuring the safety of the players and everyone involved in staging the games, will determine if the puck drops in July.
Lyle Richardson is a freelance writer with the Sporting News and runs the website Spector’s Hockey. His column will appear in The Guardian throughout the NHL hockey season.
