COVID 19 and the NHL: postponements, rescheduling, etc.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

If it comes to this they should run a gauntlet in each division:

6v5. Winner plays 4 the next night; winner of that is the 4 seed.

Right now it would be:

CBJ vs. DAL --> vs. CHI

NYR vs. PHI --> vs. PIT

VAN vs. CGY --> vs. MTL

ARI vs. LAK --> vs. STL


The North/West currently have a pretty distinct 4, but 4th is a lot tighter in the other two divisions.

It's not too far fetched...I mean 12 seeds made the playoffs last season

Flames gotta stay ahead of the Sens!

[jroc]

With the theme of limiting travel, I wonder if there's any discussion of structuring the playoff schedules in a 2-3-2 format rather than the traditional 2-2-1-1-1.

Would make it easier to schedule in a few more back-to-backs if they need to compress the schedule a bit due to other rescheduled games. (and avoid running into the olympics)

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by jroc

With the theme of limiting travel, I wonder if there's any discussion of structuring the playoff schedules in a 2-3-2 format rather than the traditional 2-2-1-1-1.

Would make it easier to schedule in a few more back-to-backs if they need to compress the schedule a bit due to other rescheduled games. (and avoid running into the olympics)

I'm someone that thinks the NHL season drags on for too long and I would love to see any measures implemented that can shave weeks off the season. For quite some time I've thought that 2-3-2 should be played for the playoffs and I'm even okay with best of 5 for round 1. Assuming that the workload is not overly taxing on the players I think you could do games 1&2 back to back, travel day, game 3, day off, games 4&5 back to back, travel day, games 6-7 back to back.

[GordonBlue]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I'm someone that thinks the NHL season drags on for too long and I would love to see any measures implemented that can shave weeks off the season. For quite some time I've thought that 2-3-2 should be played for the playoffs and I'm even okay with best of 5 for round 1. Assuming that the workload is not overly taxing on the players I think you could do games 1&2 back to back, travel day, game 3, day off, games 4&5 back to back, travel day, games 6-7 back to back.

I'd also drop 10 games from the regular season.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by GordonBlue

I'd also drop 10 games from the regular season.

Hard to convince owners to drop revenue. Maybe add a play-in in exchange.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by jroc

With the theme of limiting travel, I wonder if there's any discussion of structuring the playoff schedules in a 2-3-2 format rather than the traditional 2-2-1-1-1.

Would make it easier to schedule in a few more back-to-backs if they need to compress the schedule a bit due to other rescheduled games. (and avoid running into the olympics)

I've always thought 2-3-1-1 would be the best.

Opening at home doesn't seem like an advantage to me, since anything other than a 2-0 lead is a negative outcome.

For series that go 5 games or less, it would also eliminate one return trip for the winning team.

[ricardodw]

There are 21 States that lowered the Covid vaccine age to 16. some are now but the latest is May 1.

link

Flames can play out of Bozeman , The Jets out of Grand Forks the Canucks out of Portland. The Leafs and Sens out of Michigan and the Habs out of Vermont.

Or the whole NORTH division could set up in North Las Vegas.

Maybe the league could get the Canadian teams vaccinated in an open vaccine State. But then Canada would have to recognize the vaccine to let the players and support staff come back to Canada.

[powderjunkie]

Bozeman and Grand Forks? Weird choices.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

There are 21 States that lowered the Covid vaccine age to 16. some are now but the latest is May 1.

link

Flames can play out of Bozeman , The Jets out of Grand Forks the Canucks out of Portland. The Leafs and Sens out of Michigan and the Habs out of Vermont.

Or the whole NORTH division could set up in North Las Vegas.

Maybe the league could get the Canadian teams vaccinated in an open vaccine State. But then Canada would have to recognize the vaccine to let the players and support staff come back to Canada.

The Flames can play out of Calgary, the Canucks out of Vancouver, the Sens out of Ottawa. The other 4 will play in Canada until one is left to go to the conference final, and all 4-7 games may just be played in that US team's arena, or get a "home" building in one of the NHL arenas nearby to reduce travel. The talk of Toronto playing the conference final out of Buffalo doesn't make much sense if they're playing Vegas. They could just play out of Arizona to be closer.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

The Flames can play out of Calgary, the Canucks out of Vancouver, the Sens out of Ottawa. The other 4 will play in Canada until one is left to go to the conference final, and all 4-7 games may just be played in that US team's arena, or get a "home" building in one of the NHL arenas nearby to reduce travel. The talk of Toronto playing the conference final out of Buffalo doesn't make much sense if they're playing Vegas. They could just play out of Arizona to be closer.

How is that plan working out with Montreal and Edmonton right now?

There is no chance of the NHL teams in Canada will get vaccinated and pretty much 100% chance that the US based teams will be able to get vaccinated.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

Bozeman and Grand Forks? Weird choices.

Closest place where the teams would be vaccinated, have arena's and airports.

11,600 seats for hockey in Grand forks.. will have at least 50% of vaccinated people in the stands for the playoffs.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

How is that plan working out with Montreal and Edmonton right now?

There is no chance of the NHL teams in Canada will get vaccinated and pretty much 100% chance that the US based teams will be able to get vaccinated.

Three games need to be rescheduled. Look how many have already been rescheduled in the US.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...-game-2020-21/

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Three games need to be rescheduled. Look how many have already been rescheduled in the US.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...-game-2020-21/

It is a very real possibility that the North could be done their season before the other divisions

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

It is a very real possibility that the North could be done their season before the other divisions

They could just start Canadian playoffs before American playoffs, yet space games out slightly more than normal. An extra day between games that would normally be back to backs.

[Nsd1]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1376305465269751810

[transplant99]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1376339306814529539

[Sylvanfan]

Montreal has to be facing a similar fate too.

They are more propped up by the Loser point than any other team in the NHL as it is with 9 of those in 31 games making them look like they're 6 points over a true 500 record. They could be in for a difficult run to end the season her with 25 games left to play in 42 days sort of thing.

[DeluxeMoustache]

I guess I’ll put it here.

Wes Gilbertson told Sutter there was a positive Covid case on the Canucks and asked if he knew if the game was still on

Sutter said it was the first he had heard of it

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

I guess I’ll put it here.

Wes Gilbertson told Sutter there was a positive Covid case on the Canucks and asked if he knew if the game was still on

Sutter said it was the first he had heard of it

It was gaudette, was removed from practice, he gets another test today and tomorrow to see if it was a false positive

If hes positive they do contact tracing, also see if it's a variant

This gives the details

https://mobile.twitter.com/risingact...84032664117249

He had an instagram story of himself and Boeser walking their dogs yesterday that was taken down this morning

[DeluxeMoustache]

Flames are now schedule to play the Oilers Sat April 10

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...nators-flames/