2021/22 Regular Season Thread

[lordstanley]

5 of today’s 9 scheduled NHL games have been canceled due to Covid, including Leafs at Canucks. 

[lordstanley]

Stevie gets it.

https://ca.yahoo.com/sports/news/nhl-wings-gm-steve-yzerman-questions-why-league-testing-asymptomatic-players-034443268.html

Detroit Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman openly questioned why the NHL and its respective teams are testing asymptomatic players for COVID-19 amid an outbreak of the Omicron variant.

Although several teams across various North American sports leagues are facing a major uptick in positive COVID-19 cases, Yzerman believes that most of the positive cases in the NHL constitute nothing more serious than the common cold.

 

[gehringer_2]

25 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

Stevie gets it.

https://ca.yahoo.com/sports/news/nhl-wings-gm-steve-yzerman-questions-why-league-testing-asymptomatic-players-034443268.html

Detroit Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman openly questioned why the NHL and its respective teams are testing asymptomatic players for COVID-19 amid an outbreak of the Omicron variant.

Although several teams across various North American sports leagues are facing a major uptick in positive COVID-19 cases, Yzerman believes that most of the positive cases in the NHL constitute nothing more serious than the common cold.

 

The problem is it only takes one player to get really sick or die and then the fact precautions had been lowered becomes a tragedy and maybe a big liability. If they could get to the point where they could say - OK - young, strong, vaccinated - your risk from COVID is no worse than your risk driving to the arena so we are justified in ignoring it. But until somebody produces that data or recommendation to go that route, you're still taking a risk with your players which is too undefined for comfort. And with a new variant on the scene that could add weeks before anyone will reach a decision like that.

Edited December 19, 2021 by gehringer_2

[lordstanley]

8 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

The problem is it only takes one player to get really sick or die and then the fact precautions had been lowered becomes a tragedy and maybe a big liability. If they could get to the point where they could say - OK - young, strong, vaccinated - your risk from COVID is no worse than your risk driving to the arena so we are justified in ignoring it. But until somebody produces that data or recommendation to go that route, you're still taking a risk with your players which is too undefined for comfort. And with a new variant on the scene that could add weeks before anyone will reach a decision like that.

I’m not sure why there would be liability. There are many workplaces open across North America and I’d say very, very few do regular testing of management and employees the way pro sports does. There will be positive Covid tests three years from now, so at some point the NHL needs to decide how long it wants to do it. 

[gehringer_2]

27 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

so at some point the NHL needs to decide how long it wants to do it. 

One would normally expect that the rational place for that point to be would be some time beyond where more than a thousand are sill dying everyday in the US and Canada. Then again, the backlash against anti-vaxxers may grow to where maybe that won't be the case.

Edited December 19, 2021 by gehringer_2

[lordstanley]

34 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

One would normally expect that the rational place for that point to be would be some time beyond where more than a thousand are sill dying everyday in the US and Canada. Then again, the backlash against anti-vaxxers may grow to where maybe that won't be the case.

If the NHL cares about community spread, then shut the games down or play them without fans or play them with fans but no concession stands. Because 18,000 fans of all ages and sizes in an indoor arena will have way more than impact on spread than do the 75 or so players and staff..

The current NHL system is a farce. NFL acted more sensibly yesterday. 

[buddha]

12 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

If the NHL cares about community spread, then shut the games down or play them without fans or play them with fans but no concession stands. Because 18,000 fans of all ages and sizes in an indoor arena will have way more than impact on spread than do the 75 or so players and staff..

The current NHL system is a farce. NFL acted more sensibly yesterday. 

games in the netherlands are back without fans.  canada might go back to that but i doubt the us will.

[Shinzaki]

My anecdotal tale

I'm in Financial Services and I'm as necessary AF...I have worked with the general public throughout the pandemic/endemic and am none the worse for the wear.

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, lordstanley said:

If the NHL cares about community spread, then shut the games down or play them without fans or play them with fans but no concession stands. Because 18,000 fans of all ages and sizes in an indoor arena will have way more than impact on spread than do the 75 or so players and staff..

The current NHL system is a farce. NFL acted more sensibly yesterday. 

So if they cut back to half capacity how do they decide whose pre-purchased tickets get honored? Cancel them all and require repurchase or do some kind of lottery? Or only even numbers rows or seats. etc?

[lordstanley]

2 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

So if they cut back to half capacity how do they decide whose pre-purchased tickets get honored? Cancel them all and require repurchase or do some kind of lottery? Or only even numbers rows or seats. etc?

50% is the new rule in British Columbia announced Friday. Canucks are figuring that out now and are expected to communicate their plan in next day or two. Expectation is that all season ticket holders will be unaffected and all one off sales will be cancelled. Any gap between season ticket holders and 50% will go back on sale. But no one is sure yet. Btw, all season so far at games in Canada you have to show your proof of vaccination card (electronic on phone). 

Edited December 19, 2021 by lordstanley

[buddha]

51 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

50% is the new rule in British Columbia announced Friday. Canucks are figuring that out now and are expected to communicate their plan in next day or two. Expectation is that all season ticket holders will be unaffected and all one off sales will be cancelled. Any gap between season ticket holders and 50% will go back on sale. But no one is sure yet. Btw, all season so far at games in Canada you have to show your proof of vaccination card (electronic on phone). 

if you have to be vaccinated to get in, then what's the point of reducing capacity?

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, buddha said:

if you have to be vaccinated to get in, then what's the point of reducing capacity?

I suppose the rationale is that if the vaccinated carry Omicron asymptomatically and still shed it, they will infect the unvaccinated and they will get sick and the hospitals don't have room for more?

Edited December 19, 2021 by gehringer_2

[lordstanley]

3 hours ago, buddha said:

if you have to be vaccinated to get in, then what's the point of reducing capacity?

There is a a lot of stuff going on in Canada right now that would blow your mind. 
Vancouver students on hunger strike because in-person final exams for healthy, 20 year old double-vaxxed students wearing masks are going on as scheduled instead of moving online or being cancelled. 

[lordstanley]

[gehringer_2]

28 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

There is a a lot of stuff going on in Canada right now that would blow your mind. 
Vancouver students on hunger strike because in-person final exams for healthy, 20 year old double-vaxxed students wearing masks are going on as scheduled instead of moving online or being cancelled. 

UM students apparently passing around a petition to move the start of classes back two weeks. Not likely happening.

[buddha]

2 hours ago, lordstanley said:

There is a a lot of stuff going on in Canada right now that would blow your mind. 
Vancouver students on hunger strike because in-person final exams for healthy, 20 year old double-vaxxed students wearing masks are going on as scheduled instead of moving online or being cancelled. 

protect me!!!!

for god's sake.

[lordstanley]

 

[Motor City Sonics]

NHL shut down through Christmas.   

No more border crossing games?   

 

What a mess.  

The league needs to realign to always have an all Canadian division.   So move the Coyotes to Quebec already.  

Canadian Conference
Calgary Flames
Edmonton Oilers
Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators
Quebec Nordiques
Toronto Maple Leafs
Vancouver Canucks
Winnipeg Jets

Eastern Conference
Boston Bruins
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
Philadelphia Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Washington Capitols

Central Conference
Buffalo Sabres
Chicago Balackhawks
Columbus BlueJackets
Detroit Red Wings
Florida Panthers
Minnesota Wild
Nashville Preadtors
Tampa Bay Lightning

Western Conference
Anaheim Ducks
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Los Angeles Kings
St. Louis Blues
San Jose Sharks
Seattle Kraken
Vegas Golden Knights

 

Top 4 teams in each conference make the playoffs.  First round 1 vs. 4 / 2 vs. 3,  After each division settles it, the rest of the playoffs seeded by total points in regular season.   No more East vs. West.   I think it would be better for the game overall to always have a team from Canada in the final 4.  

 

You could also consider keeping the Coyotes and moving the Sabres to Quebec or Hamilton.   Not exactly selling the place out these days in Buffalo.  

 

 

 

[lordstanley]

2 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

 

 

You could also consider keeping the Coyotes and moving the Sabres to Quebec or Hamilton.   Not exactly selling the place out these days in Buffalo.  

 

 

 

The problem with Buffalo is not the fans. They've put up with a lot of garbage hockey the past decade, probably the worst of any team in the league during that span.

[buddha]

you don't realign an entire league based on a temporary situation.

[Motor City Sonics]

7 minutes ago, buddha said:

you don't realign an entire league based on a temporary situation.

LOL.  Temporary..............that's a good one.       This is life now.  This is normal now.  

[lordstanley]

8 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

LOL.  Temporary..............that's a good one.       This is life now.  This is normal now.  

I think most fans in Canada got bored seeing the same half a dozen teams all season.

[lordstanley]

No Beijing Olympics for the NHL, at least not if the Games are held this February.

The NHL will use the break to make up Covid-cancelled games, venue availability permitting.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/nhl-nhlpa-withdraws-from-beijing-2022-winter-olympics-1.6293961

 

The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players' Association have reached an agreement to not send its players to participate in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in February, according to reports from The Toronto Star's Chris Johnston and Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

According to Johnston, the league and its players made the decision on Tuesday and now must finalize it with the International Olympic Committee. Seravalli reported on Twitter the official announcement could come as early as Tuesday or even later in the week. The league had until Jan. 10 to opt out of the Olympics without financial penalty.

[lordstanley]

Not sure whether someone posted this clip already or not, but a mic’ed up Larkin is funny:

 

[Shinzaki]

Not going to China is a great idea...for so many reasons...