NHL, players' union announce plan to resume play on Aug. 1

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JOHN WAWROW and STEPHEN WHYNO

The National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Association announced a tentative agreement Monday to return to play this season and extend their collective bargaining agreement by four years.

The CBA deal, coupled with both sides’ agreement on protocols for training camps and games, paves the way for hockey to resume in less than a month. Training camps would open next Monday, July 13, and games would resume Aug. 1 if the league’s board of governors, players’ executive committee and full membership sign off.

The NHL is going straight to the playoffs with 24 teams resuming play. Those teams will travel to one of two “hub” cities July 26 for exhibition games. The qualifying round would begin Aug. 1.

Extending the CBA — which will now run through the end of the 2025-26 season — was considered a necessary step toward hockey returning this summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Details of the CBA extension were not revealed.



FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2020, file photo, Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith warms up for the team's NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets in Edmonton, Alberta. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press on Sunday, July 5, that the NHL and NHL Players’ Association have agreed on protocols to resume the season. Daly said the sides are still negotiating a collective bargaining agreement extension. A CBA extension is still crucial to the process. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP, File)


Read more: https://apnews.com/0b85d1ae780f4ed61338f7140c3997a9

[TeamPooka]

1. Gotta risk the player's lives for TV contract money.

[dhill926]

2. much as I love the Stanley Cup playoffs...

this shouldn't happen and probably won't happen...

[Initech]

3. I miss sports so much, but this seems like it could be a really bad idea.

COVID is still out there and it's still highly contagious. Yeah I know they had seasons in 1918 but, this ain't 1918. I hope all goes well.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. 1918 the Cup Finals were suspended as I recall reading

And yes, this is a really bad idea, but Bettman sold ice hockey in June, expanded to so many teams it will take 3 lifetimes for each to win a championship, and so diluted talent amidst free agency and salary caps that personalities hardly matter anymore. It's like hockey assembled in a factory. Dynasties built on coming of age core personnel - youthful camaraderie - is unlikely anymore.

But let Bettman be Bettman. It's all a marketing problem to him.

Every business wants to reopen ASAP before consumers move elsewhere. Sports attendance may take a long term hit once people start working from home and building a lifestyle around family equity and community.

[Initech]

7. Yeah but we're not going to be working from home forever.

And this virus certainly won't stop people from socializing or playing sports either. Even Dr Fauci has said that there will be an end to the pandemic. It's just a question of when. When that happens, live sports, music and theater will come back in a huge way. But right now it's not the right time to attempt something like this.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Maybe you're not

Home entrepreneurship is underway. Some won't return to the workforce. Why would they? To enjoy the cost of commuting? Traffic jams? Lunch with the obstacles to their promotions? I think the landscape has been altered.

[Xolodno]

4. Hockey in August...

...just doesn't seem right. And I am a hockey fan.

The Stanley Cup has been canceled before, such as the strike. But then, the players don't have the macho contracts the NFL, NBA and Baseball leagues have....so that may have came into play.

[tenderfoot]

6. This is the dumbest idea ever...

[modrepub]

9. Dumber Give Number of Teams

And length of playoffs. Put them in NW Canada and take top 4 teams from each conference. Play one game elimination first round, then best of three and best of five final. Get it done fast and hope things clear up for next season. This only exposes players.

[tenderfoot]

10. They shit the bed on the draft lottery too.

An undeserving team that is knocked out of the first round gets a shot at #1. Here's to hoping that choice turns out to be major league bust.

[Ztolkins]

11. All games are played in Canada, specifically Edmonton and T Dot

Players are sequestered, I believe. No crowd.

Lets do this.

[LiberalLovinLug]

12. Woo Hoo!

[Senor Insomne]

13. August, the Perfect Time for Hockey!

Just kidding. I'm a fan myself. (Tragically. of the San Jose Sharks.) Seriously, though, I think all sports leagues should just write off the 2020 season, and resume only when normal games with players and fans can be done safely.

[Nevilledog]

14. Bunch of players test positive.

The NHL says it's had 35 total players test positive for COVID-19 — 23 of the 396 players who have reported to team facilities for Phase 2 activities, and 12 additional players outside of the Phase 2 protocol.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nhl-says-23-players-tested-positive-since-reporting-team-facilities/


I miss hockey, but trying to go back Aug 1 is insane.