UPDATE: NHLPA votes for further negotiations on 24-team return to play format

[D as in David]

How weird will it be when the winning team members hoist the cup and skate around the rink with nobody in the stands to show it off to? Even when it is won in the opponent's home rink, they are looking up into the stands. Of course, they often do look at and share their jubilation with their teammates currently so I guess that would be the most common action.

[powderjunkie]

The full season resumption/completion is nothing more than an extreme initial position to make their modified plan seem safer/more reasonable. The costs and logistics of mobilizing all 31 organizations doesn't make any sense.

31 teams playing roughly 12 more games each = 186 games to play before we even start playoffs.

[transplant99]

Some payers starting to question the possibility of finishing anything this season.

If they cant even get the PA on board then ANY chance of things resuming is dead in the water.

Montreal Canadiens centre Phillip Danault said on Tuesday what he says other NHL players have been thinking as the league continues to plan for a season restart.

“Some players could be away from their families for three to four months and I think that’s way too much,” Danault said on a call with reporters. “I’m not the only one thinking like that, I’m sure.

“I can’t make sense of it in my mind.”

Danault, who voiced his opinion with his toddler son playing in the background, is far from alone.

It’s been one of the worst-kept secrets in hockey – that through all of this, one hurdle to a return might be the players themselves – and the whispers have only grown louder since word broke last week that the NHL is considering forging forward with players reporting to centralized sites to resume the season and beyond into the Stanley Cup playoffs in a relative bubble.

They have already received 93 per cent of their gross pay for the regular season, there is no more money that will directly hit their pockets for the playoffs and the plan to resume play is likely to be very limiting in both family time and arena atmosphere.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl-players-begin...tart-1.1470792

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Some payers starting to question the possibility of finishing anything this season.

If they cant even get the PA on board then ANY chance of things resuming is dead in the water.



https://www.tsn.ca/nhl-players-begin...tart-1.1470792

Uh, yeah receiving 93% of their gross pay is one thing...but then look at how much HRR will be lost if they don’t finish the year/playoffs. The amount they lose from that escrow will be significant. HRR is huge in playoffs, not to mention the lost games in the regular season.

The family thing is a definite problem - but make it so players can opt out if they need to. Have it be an optional thing if they need to.

[Harry Lime]

Sorry players. If you can't suffer a little hardship for your millions in the bank, I don't think that you're going to get a lot of sympathy from the fans. We don't care about your pay structure, and if you've already collected. From our point of view, the season runs from game one to the Stanley Cup, and if you can't handle three months away then you can't handle the hardship day to day life of 90% of the people who watch you play.

If that's the stumbling block, suck it up buttercup.

[dissentowner]

Businessmen are away from their families all the time. I am sure there is a way to solve that issue. The players imo are obligated to finish the season if it is safely possible to do so. you can't force a player to play but if a player chooses not to play they should definitely forgo being payed for those last regular season games left. You don't play you don't get payed. I am sure some vets can afford to do that and I am sure some young players would jump at a chance to showcase themselves in those 10 or so games remaining. The only players complaining about this are teams that are not going to the playoffs. I would bet everything all players who look like they have a shot at the playoffs want to play. Still, it irks me that some of these guys are entitled brats. You get paid ridiculous money to play a game, you can step up for 10-12 games to give sports fans an escape from a harsh reality right now.

[transplant99]

And from Lebrun today (as telling or even more so IMO)

But there are two reasons why a December start to the 2020-21 season is on the table:

The length of time it will take to complete the 2019-20 season (if resumed at all). Several team executives that I have spoken with over the past week have said the league has hinted at being willing to go as late as September, maybe even October, to finish off the playoffs for this season. After that, some form of an offseason would be needed, even in a truncated form, before you could start a new season.

A lot of teams feel they need fans back in their arenas next season before opening the doors. That’s what they’re telling me. It’s fine to try and finish off the 2019-20 season without fans because 85 percent of the regular season has been played and that gate money has been earned. But by the time the NHL opens up shop for 2020-21 season, most teams can’t even think of starting without fans in the building. Some organizations have told me they would lose less money by simply staying dark. Hence, they’re hoping a December start will be enough time for the world to be in a better place with the pandemic. Will we have a vaccine by then (maybe not)? Will there be medical treatments that help mitigate the threat and allow for crowds to gather again by December? Will massive numbers of tests be available everywhere? Who knows. But delaying next season as long as possible to wait out the worst fo the pandemic is probably a wise idea at this point. The NHL is a gate-driven league. Now, could the league open without fans for a month or so before fans can return? I’m sure that also will be discussed to see if it’s feasible.

I’ve had a couple of team executives suggest a January start to next season isn’t out of the cards but a league source told me this week that would be pushing it.

https://theathletic.com/1781539/2020...shared_article

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Businessmen are away from their families all the time. I am sure there is a way to solve that issue. The players imo are obligated to finish the season if it is safely possible to do so. you can't force a player to play but if a player chooses not to play they should definitely forgo being payed for those last regular season games left. You don't play you don't get payed. I am sure some vets can afford to do that and I am sure some young players would jump at a chance to showcase themselves in those 10 or so games remaining. The only players complaining about this are teams that are not going to the playoffs. I would bet everything all players who look like they have a shot at the playoffs want to play. Still, it irks me that some of these guys are entitled brats. You get paid ridiculous money to play a game, you can step up for 10-12 games to give sports fans an escape from a harsh reality right now.

We’re talking about 4 months for any kind of restart and playoffs. Not a business trip I’ve ever heard of.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Sorry players. If you can't suffer a little hardship for your millions in the bank, I don't think that you're going to get a lot of sympathy from the fans. We don't care about your pay structure, and if you've already collected. From our point of view, the season runs from game one to the Stanley Cup, and if you can't handle three months away then you can't handle the hardship day to day life of 90% of the people who watch you play.

If that's the stumbling block, suck it up buttercup.

Boy I don't agree with that at all.
This is the most challenging time, for most of us, in our entire lives.
If someone asked me to be away from my family for that much time, during this crisis- I would tell them to shove it.
It's all about priorities. Right now hockey ain't one.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Businessmen are away from their families all the time. I am sure there is a way to solve that issue. The players imo are obligated to finish the season if it is safely possible to do so. you can't force a player to play but if a player chooses not to play they should definitely forgo being payed for those last regular season games left. You don't play you don't get payed. I am sure some vets can afford to do that and I am sure some young players would jump at a chance to showcase themselves in those 10 or so games remaining. The only players complaining about this are teams that are not going to the playoffs. I would bet everything all players who look like they have a shot at the playoffs want to play. Still, it irks me that some of these guys are entitled brats. You get paid ridiculous money to play a game, you can step up for 10-12 games to give sports fans an escape from a harsh reality right now.

Not wanting to be away from your family during a global pandemic doesn't make you a spoiled brat.

[transplant99]

Why is it there is always a faction of people who somehow equate other people making a lot of money as they should be exempt from putting family and other things first....just so they can be entertained?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Not wanting to be away from your family during a global pandemic doesn't make you a spoiled brat.

Do you know how many essential service people are away from their families right now? As I mentioned earlier some businessmen go on trips for weeks or months at a time. The guys saying these things are players from teams that won't make the playoffs. It isn't about being away from family, it is having to play 10-12 meaningless games for them because their team wasn't good enough. It is no different then a player during regular time saying "Oh we are not going to make it so I am not playing out the rest of the season, I can spend that time with my family" The Pandemic is just a poor excuse to get away with it. They signed a contract to play the regular season, play the regular season or get suspended without pay.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Do you know how many essential service people are away from their families right now? As I mentioned earlier some businessmen go on trips for weeks or months at a time. The guys saying these things are players from teams that won't make the playoffs. It isn't about being away from family, it is having to play 10-12 meaningless games for them because their team wasn't good enough. It is no different then a player during regular time saying "Oh we are not going to make it so I am not playing out the rest of the season, I can spend that time with my family" The Pandemic is just a poor excuse to get away with it. They signed a contract to play the regular season, play the regular season or get suspended without pay.

Key word....ESSENTIAL. Athletes are not that.

Also, im guessing the vast majority still go home to their families every day.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Why is it there is always a faction of people who somehow equate other people making a lot of money as they should be exempt from putting family and other things first....just so they can be entertained?

Because that is their job? Again, you don't see players with a shot at the playoffs saying this. It is players who don't want to finish out the season because they are not going to make it. Why are players that have a shot willing to be away from their families? You would think most players would embrace this opportunity to give the world something to take their mind off this with sports. Instead of saying they want to stay home because they can.

[Harry Lime]

Average salary in the NHL is 2.78M/year.

Millionaires are not having as hard a time with Covid as the rest of the population. Players also have no stress concerning return-to-work. This isn't about family being more important than hockey. This is about someone who's job is as an entertainer, being asked to do their job, that they are paid very well to do.

Consider that the stresses that normal people are under, and the potential for domestic/emotional abuse that has risen during the pandemic. Adding a regular sporting event in the middle of that stressful time, might actually be the kind of relief that could be considered an essential service.

This is the one time in history when an athlete can save lives simply by doing their job.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Because that is their job? Again, you don't see players with a shot at the playoffs saying this. It is players who don't want to finish out the season because they are not going to make it. Why are players that have a shot willing to be away from their families? You would think most players would embrace this opportunity to give the world something to take their mind off this with sports. Instead of saying they want to stay home because they can.

Im guessing some do and some dont.

Guys with families less likely to want to, guys without them more willing. They aren't some homogenous group.

And you say its "their job", which is true but also with the understanding that their health is not at risk because of whats happening off the ice surface.

The PA will have a vote en masse, so if its "only the guys not making the playoffs" then it should be a landslide to want to come back. I think it will be very much close to 50/50 at best.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Average salary in the NHL is 2.78M/year.

Millionaires are not having as hard a time with Covid as the rest of the population. Players also have no stress concerning return-to-work. This isn't about family being more important than hockey. This is about someone who's job is as an entertainer, being asked to do their job, that they are paid very well to do.

Consider that the stresses that normal people are under, and the potential for domestic/emotional abuse that has risen during the pandemic. Adding a regular sporting event in the middle of that stressful time, might actually be the kind of relief that could be considered an essential service.

This is the one time in history when an athlete can save lives simply by doing their job.

Money has nothing to do with it...if it did, you would see no one pushing back or questioning it.

Do you somehow think these guys are exempt from the stresses going on?

Do you not think those with wives and children wouldn't see a giant leap of their own stress levels if they were whisked away from their loved ones for 3 or 4 months while a pandemic continues?

Good grief.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Do you know how many essential service people are away from their families right now? As I mentioned earlier some businessmen go on trips for weeks or months at a time. The guys saying these things are players from teams that won't make the playoffs. It isn't about being away from family, it is having to play 10-12 meaningless games for them because their team wasn't good enough. It is no different then a player during regular time saying "Oh we are not going to make it so I am not playing out the rest of the season, I can spend that time with my family" The Pandemic is just a poor excuse to get away with it. They signed a contract to play the regular season, play the regular season or get suspended without pay.

Oh boy.
First - hockey ain't essential.
Second - I think it's awful that you are framing the pandemic as a "poor excuse to get away with it".
Yes they signed a contract - but who cares. This is an unprecedented crisis for humanity. A little bit of empathy would go a long way.

Eff hockey until things get back to normal, or the new normal.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Average salary in the NHL is 2.78M/year.

Millionaires are not having as hard a time with Covid as the rest of the population. Players also have no stress concerning return-to-work. This isn't about family being more important than hockey. This is about someone who's job is as an entertainer, being asked to do their job, that they are paid very well to do.

Consider that the stresses that normal people are under, and the potential for domestic/emotional abuse that has risen during the pandemic. Adding a regular sporting event in the middle of that stressful time, might actually be the kind of relief that could be considered an essential service.

This is the one time in history when an athlete can save lives simply by doing their job.

That is a reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeach.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Average salary in the NHL is 2.78M/year.

Millionaires are not having as hard a time with Covid as the rest of the population.

Based on what?

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Players also have no stress concerning return-to-work.

Again based on what?
Why would not be stressed about traveling and being more exposed.