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Post by UberCranky on Jun 2, 2020 6:45:38 GMT -5
Right now...in the States, any NHL game will be an irresistible prime target for an attention getting riot. What are they going to do? Hold a game inside while the National Guard is beating back the anarchist?
Hockey play by play broadcasting on the inside and...CNN play by play of riots on the outside with the CBC not far behind. Never underestimate a willing platform providing the kindling and equally willing participants providing the fire.
All kinds of wrong....can go wrong there.
On the other hand, in Canada, particularly in Alberta, I don't see it happening. Or let's say NF. In TO, all bets are off.
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Post by seventeen on Jun 2, 2020 17:05:06 GMT -5
Are people even seriously thinking about sports in North America right now? No one will be paying much attention. And if they do, it will be criticism for even holding the event. The NHL and the NBA should just drop these silly tournaments now. Don't underestimate the power of the dollar bill JKR. It is the most powerful creature in the universe. May be not the actual dollar itself or what it represents (human value), but the overwhelming obsession to have more of it than anyone else is the issue. That's hardly original, of course.
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Post by folatre on Jun 4, 2020 13:58:55 GMT -5
According to Freidman, only the play-in round will be best of five. All rounds of the 16 team Playoffs will be best of seven. Also, apparently the league will reseed the teams after each round.
On this second issue, I am not sure that it makes much sense considering the league is not respecting the regular season records of each conference's top four seeds. I mean, that silly round-robin is a tiny three game sample size so Philadelphia, for example, could certainly win that mini-tournament and be the #1 seed, while Boston could be slow out of the gate and be the #4 seed.
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Post by Skilly on Jun 4, 2020 15:09:51 GMT -5
According to Freidman, only the play-in round will be best of five. All rounds of the 16 team Playoffs will be best of seven. Also, apparently the league will reseed the teams after each round. On this second issue, I am not sure that it makes much sense considering the league is not respecting the regular season records of each conference's top four seeds. I mean, that silly round-robin is a tiny three game sample size so Philadelphia, for example, could certainly win that mini-tournament and be the #1 seed, while Boston could be slow out of the gate and be the #4 seed. If they are going to rerank them, then it'll have to be by seeding and not points .... I think we may see some top teams tanking to get a favourable seeding
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Post by folatre on Jun 4, 2020 18:28:40 GMT -5
I can imagine Pittsburgh's level of annoyance being pretty high. First, with their 7th best record in the entire league, they get subjected to the play-in round and if they dispatch with Montreal they could have to play Boston in the round of 16.
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Post by BadCompany on Jun 5, 2020 7:27:25 GMT -5
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Post by folatre on Jun 5, 2020 19:26:28 GMT -5
Yeah, this is not just about lining up the testing and following the policies and protocols laid out by health authorities. It is also a tough personal health choice to make.
Whenever the final NHLPA vote takes place, it will not surprise me if 10-20 percent of members vote against resumption. For as much as guys like Gallagher, Weber, and Byron said they are excited to prove themselves, there will be other Habs who will vote against it. And Montreal, like any club, could have a player or two who elect not to participate if this thing moves forward.
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Post by seventeen on Jun 6, 2020 0:14:01 GMT -5
Yeah, this is not just about lining up the testing and following the policies and protocols laid out by health authorities. It is also a tough personal health choice to make. Whenever the final NHLPA vote takes place, it will not surprise me if 10-20 percent of members vote against resumption. For as much as guys like Gallagher, Weber, and Byron said they are excited to prove themselves, there will be other Habs who will vote against it. And Montreal, like any club, could have a player or two who elect not to participate if this thing moves forward. He'd better have his bags packed as he'd become persona non grata to MB.
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Post by GNick99 on Jun 6, 2020 10:00:20 GMT -5
I am anxious to see the tv ratings the baseball draft gets.
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Post by folatre on Jun 6, 2020 10:13:41 GMT -5
Everyone talks about Domi, rightly so since he would be at greater risk as a diabetic.
But he is not the only one who would think long and hard about the risks. There are a few other guys that need to worry not only Covid 19 but also any potentially serious injury they may suffer because they do not have a contract for 2020-21. A guy like Hudon, Juulsen, Ouellet, Folin, Weise, etc. might say this is crazy I'm not getting paid during the play-in/Playoffs and on top of that I have to worry about injury while I am in limbo with no contract.
Montreal is pretty darn thin depth-wise after Bergevin correctly traded Kovalchuk, Thompson, Cousins, and Scandella. So yeah he would probably be pissed if even guys as marginal as the ones I mentioned above said screw it this isn't worth it.
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Post by seventeen on Jun 6, 2020 12:12:19 GMT -5
I forgot about Domi's diabetes. In his skates, I'd be concerned.
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Post by GNick99 on Jun 8, 2020 6:54:55 GMT -5
Read on Go Habs site not starting to Sept. now. But I don't trust that site
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Post by Willie Dog on Jun 8, 2020 12:34:59 GMT -5
Everyone talks about Domi, rightly so since he would be at greater risk as a diabetic. But he is not the only one who would think long and hard about the risks. There are a few other guys that need to worry not only Covid 19 but also any potentially serious injury they may suffer because they do not have a contract for 2020-21. A guy like Hudon, Juulsen, Ouellet, Folin, Weise, etc. might say this is crazy I'm not getting paid during the play-in/Playoffs and on top of that I have to worry about injury while I am in limbo with no contract. Montreal is pretty darn thin depth-wise after Bergevin correctly traded Kovalchuk, Thompson, Cousins, and Scandella. So yeah he would probably be pissed if even guys as marginal as the ones I mentioned above said screw it this isn't worth it. Great point... The NHL might have to buy insurance for pending free agents
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Post by jkr on Jun 8, 2020 13:38:12 GMT -5
Read on Go Habs site not starting to Sept. now. But I don't trust that site If that's true this makes even less sense.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 8, 2020 14:09:08 GMT -5
Read on Go Habs site not starting to Sept. now. But I don't trust that site If that's true this makes even less sense. It’s always been about the dollars and not the sense.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jun 9, 2020 21:36:25 GMT -5
If that's true this makes even less sense. It’s always been about the dollars and not the sense. Whoever wins the Stanley Cup will get to play golf for two days before the 2002-2003 season starts.
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Post by GNick99 on Jun 10, 2020 8:23:23 GMT -5
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 13, 2020 10:25:55 GMT -5
Interesting to note that despite the NHL moving into Phase 2 last Monday to allow teams to open practice facilities to small groups (6 skaters or less), the Habs’ Brossard facility won’t be ready until later next week. As Stu Cowen writes, the Groupe CH has made lots of COVID layoffs (to be expected), and these include Brossard staff including the facility’s GM. With the NHL likely working non-stop towards its phased in approach and Molson being on the Executive Committee now, that this date should not be a surprise to the Habs. Why not hire some folks back earlier and have the facility ready as early as possible? This seem a bit insignificant, but a team as rich as the Habs should not be behind the curve when it comes to providing resources to its players or prospects. Providing ice time to allow guys to get on the ice will be key to gearing up for training camp, now that it has been announced for July. This only impacts three players (or two roster guys) as Drouin, Byron and Hudon are the only ones in Montreal right now. But, at some point you will want to get guys back in town skating together within whatever restrictions exist. In the end, a July training camp and the play-in series likely not starting until August still is extremely weird. I suppose I will watch the Habs play-in series as a Habs fan, but we Canadians have too short a summer to spend it inside watching hockey. This year probably more so as folks are stir crazy and just want to get outside. With only two Hub cities, there was speculation that they would play multiple games a day in order to get all the hockey in that needs to be played to get through FIVE rounds of hockey. Will I really want to watch a hockey game at 10:00 or 11:00 in the morning of a beautiful summer day to get my hockey fix? I expect ratings will be good at first as fans will be excited to see real hockey back, but I think it will drop off quite a bit. Oh well, the NHL will secure its TV revenue. montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/stu-on-sports-canadiens-players-still-waiting-for-ice-in-brossard/wcm/97c3b22e-86e6-4ea2-83fd-6a84af4b9cdb/
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Post by seventeen on Jun 13, 2020 13:44:57 GMT -5
Interesting to note that despite the NHL moving into Phase 2 last Monday to allow teams to open practice facilities to small groups (6 skaters or less), the Habs’ Brossard facility won’t be ready until later next week. As Stu Cowen writes, the Groupe CH has made lots of COVID layoffs (to be expected), and these include Brossard staff including the facility’s GM. With the NHL likely working non-stop towards its phased in approach and Molson being on the Executive Committee now, that this date should not be a surprise to the Habs. Why not hire some folks back earlier and have the facility ready as early as possible? This seem a bit insignificant, but a team as rich as the Habs should not be behind the curve when it comes to providing resources to its players or prospects. Providing ice time to allow guys to get on the ice will be key to gearing up for training camp, now that it has been announced for July. This only impacts three players (or two roster guys) as Drouin, Byron and Hudon are the only ones in Montreal right now. But, at some point you will want to get guys back in town skating together within whatever restrictions exist. In the end, a July training camp and the play-in series likely not starting until August still is extremely weird. I suppose I will watch the Habs play-in series as a Habs fan, but we Canadians have too short a summer to spend it inside watching hockey. This year probably more so as folks are stir crazy and just want to get outside. With only two Hub cities, there was speculation that they would play multiple games a day in order to get all the hockey in that needs to be played to get through FIVE rounds of hockey. Will I really want to watch a hockey game at 10:00 or 11:00 in the morning of a beautiful summer day to get my hockey fix? I expect ratings will be good at first as fans will be excited to see real hockey back, but I think it will drop off quite a bit. Oh well, the NHL will secure its TV revenue. montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/stu-on-sports-canadiens-players-still-waiting-for-ice-in-brossard/wcm/97c3b22e-86e6-4ea2-83fd-6a84af4b9cdb/I was on The Athletic the other day, pondering comments on Arpon Basu's story about Geoff Molson's presser. One guy wondered if the Molson group, with concerts, real estate etc., really was that well off or were they feeling the pinch financially with revenue coming to a stop. That's one hell of a good question. We all assume that because the group has all these assets (and we know the Habs franchise has gone up a lot in value) that they are rich. But I also know farmers who are asset rich and cash poor. Businessmen don't generally like sitting on cash because there's always a project they feel can generate better returns, so having cash sitting around isn't common, (unless you're Apple or Microsoft). Maybe Molson is low on cash. Forget what people say....consider what they do and so many Molson decisions revolve around saving cash. I've considered that being cheap, but perhaps it's because they've allocated that money elsewhere, where it's not liquid. Have the real estate holdings sold well? Even if they have, did the partners pull out the money for their own purposes? This isn't a 'pick on Geoffie' comment. There are businesses that operate with low or insufficient liquidity. Even if they are liquid enough in normal times, this Covid thing has punctured a big hole in the operations. If we're trying to predict what the Habs will do it makes sense to bear that in mind. (I still think Molson doesn't have a lot of incentive to make the Habs SC champions, as long as the money keeps rolling in).
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Post by jkr on Jun 15, 2020 14:44:44 GMT -5
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Post by Tankdriver on Jun 16, 2020 11:03:45 GMT -5
Can someone answer me why we are waiting on restarting training camp and playoffs? Does anyone really think that there will be a change in numbers 6 weeks from now? Have the players do there 2 weeks quarantine and 2 weeks training and get this thing started.
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Post by HABsurd on Jun 16, 2020 15:59:58 GMT -5
Can someone answer me why we are waiting on restarting training camp and playoffs? Does anyone really think that there will be a change in numbers 6 weeks from now? Have the players do there 2 weeks quarantine and 2 weeks training and get this thing started. Well at least until July 21 the USA/Canada border is closed and that might be extended. It is not clear what the NHL is proposing other than be granted waivers so they can just wing it as they go along. It is not clear why both Canada and USA would agree to the NHL's ridiculous playoff format. I assume the host city Province and State must also provide a waiver. If I would be a representative I would ask why the top 24 teams? Why not just abbreviate the playoffs with the top 8? Why not choose a format to minimize cross border traffic? Further, has the NHL answered what happens if a player tests positive during a match? Does the whole team go under 14 day quarentine? Do both teams?
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Post by seventeen on Jun 16, 2020 20:00:36 GMT -5
Why not hold them in Russia? Putin would allow anything, including fans in the stands. No quarantine, No testing. If a few people die to generate money and publicity, so what? (Full disclosure...that's sarcasm folks. I don't want anyone to die)
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jun 19, 2020 14:21:30 GMT -5
Not wise ... if they have to bend the rules in order to get the league going, then they've lost me ...
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jun 19, 2020 14:24:36 GMT -5
... why they shouldn't bend the rules ...
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jun 19, 2020 14:29:04 GMT -5
... why they shouldn't bend the rules ...
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Post by Willie Dog on Jun 19, 2020 14:44:36 GMT -5
... why they shouldn't bend the rules ...
Not shocking at all, people in Florida have been especially bad about social distancing, they dont care...
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jun 19, 2020 15:13:20 GMT -5
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Post by folatre on Jun 19, 2020 15:33:28 GMT -5
Cases in Florida, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, etc. are accelerating.
It makes me wonder why the league seems to take it as a given that Las Vegas is an ideal hub city. Covid cases there are rising. The weather is brutal in August-September. The casinos are open and that is a temptation that plenty of players will not pass on.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jun 19, 2020 15:56:04 GMT -5
I understand it's all about recouping as many $ as they can, but they have to shut it down ... I've lost personal savings from the pandemic and I could care less if these multi-millionaires lose something too ...
Cheers.
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