The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Deal to start 2020-21 season close
The wait for the start of the 2020-21 NHL season may be coming to a close.
The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association are closing in on a deal that would tentatively get the campaign underway Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021.
As first reported by TSN’S Darren Dreger late Monday, the NHL has agreed to put the financials aside and will live by the Memorandum of Understanding agreement it signed with the NHLPA in the summer so the season can get started.
The team representatives for the NHLPA were informed of the progress during a conference call Monday afternoon and were thrilled to hear the league has given up on trying to raise escrow and deferred money. It does mean the union is kicking the can down the road on the 50-50 split in hockey related revenues and those dollars will have to be paid at some point.
“There won’t be any more discussions of a financial nature,” a league source said.
The reality is both sides want to play.
The indications are there wont be any exhibition games and training camps will get underway in early January.
The seven teams that didn’t participate in the Return to Play in the summer — including the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres — will be able to open camp on a voluntary basis on or around Dec. 28.
The reality is all these dates could move because this is a fluid situation because of the spread of COVID-19 throughout Canada and the United States. As a result, the league may start its season in hub cities and then allow teams to play out of their arenas later on.
For example, the San Jose Sharks wouldn’t be allowed to hold training camp in their city at the moment because Santa Clara County officials have banned large gatherings. That is expected to be in place until early next year which means the Sharks would have to play out of another city.
There’s also been an uptick in cases in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec which could make it difficult for those cities to host hubs.
At this point, the seven Canadian teams are expected to play out of one division because there are still restrictions surrounding the Canada/u.s. border.
A huge hurdle is the 14-day quarantine required for visitors to Canada. Players arriving from overseas and United States are required to self-isolate for two weeks when they get here. The league is working with the Canadian government to see if there’s a way to shorten that period by testing the players at the rinks.
Teams have been quietly telling players in all parts of the world they may want to make their way to their NHL cities even if there isn’t a deal in place.
“Emails are going out to players, particularly those who play for the Canadian teams, telling them that they may want to think about getting back to Canada,” a league executive said Tuesday afternoon.
The belief is the NHL’S head office will negotiate the terms of the quarantine with the government once the start date for camps is set. There was some talk the players would have to spend eight days in isolation when they arrive for camp, but would then be able to go back and forth to the rink while getting tested regularly.
That’s why a league source felt that Jan. 13 may not be realistic.
“I see it being later than Jan. 13,” said the source. “It could be pushed back to as late as February just with all the logistics involved.”
Sources say the two sides are also discussing an expanded roster from 23 to 26 players. An idea on the table would see a forward, defenceman and goaltender assigned to the club’s AHL affiliate with those that require waivers forced to clear. Once they go through waivers, they would receive their AHL salaries and NHL per diem.
This is just one idea on the table.
Any deal would have to be approved by the NHL’S board of governors, but commissioner Gary Bettman wouldn’t be going down this road if he didn’t feel he had their support. He maintained last week he wasn’t trying to change the CBA, but the reality is down the road the league will get all the money its owed from the players.
There are a group of owners who don’t want to take the financial hit to play but Bettman has made it clear the NHL can’t afford to disappear completely with the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball all going ahead. Those owners have likely been dealt with by Bettman.
“He’s politically savvy,” said the executive.