Still no to Olympics; bye could go
Commissioner Gary Bettman says league will take another look at competing when China hosts in 2022
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Gary Bettman’s voice was muffled and he was coughing profusely, but the tone of the NHL commissioner with regard to the 2018 Olympics remained the same.
“There’s absolutely nothing new,” said Bettman, seemingly under the weather on Wednesday morning at the conclusion of the GM meetings. “And I think the overwhelming sentiment of the teams is that it’s very disruptive on the season and there’s somewhere between fatigue and negativity on the subject.”
Bettman said no meetings were scheduled with either the International Ice Hockey Federation or the International Olympic Committee and said the NHL is focused on a 2017-18 schedule that didn’t include the Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, but would feature a revamped bye week.
“Unless something changes we’re not going,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. “We’ve said that consistently for three months so there’s nothing new about that.”
If still quite dark on the likelihood of players attending in 2018, Daly reiterated more optimism among owners on the Beijing Games in 2022. The appeal of showcasing the NHL product on the gigantic Chinese stage seems to hold more appeal to clubs.
“It’s not the exact same equation in 2022,” Daly said. “Certainly there’s a little more business opportunity in the Chinese Games, (but) it creates the same disruption (to the season).”
Bettman said discussions were ongoing about holding games in China, reportedly next season.
Daly said it was up to the IOC and IIHF to decide when a final decision is required.
If players don’t attend the Pyeongchang Olympics the bye week will proceed next year, but in a different manner from this season. Instead of wide-ranging five-day periods of time off — some in December, others in January and February — one proposal would see half the league off for one bye week with the other teams to follow afterward.
“We’re very concerned about it and that’s why we’ll try it in another format and if that doesn’t work I think our view will be it’s had its day and that was enough,” Bettman said.
Instituted this season, the bye week was the NHLPA’s return on agreement to the three-on-three format for the 2016 all-star game.
The proposed concept, which requires NHL Players’ Association approval, would allow the league to keep its product flowing without interruption and eliminate potential unfairness of the current system. Teams haven’t fared well generally in their exit from the bye week, and the difference in timing of the rest period has caused concern.
Coaches and managers also haven’t been thrilled with the effect its had on the schedule, compressing it while further limiting opportunity for practice.
“There was lots of talk about scrapping it altogether,” said Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray.
The GMs did arrive at one slight tweak to the rules to recommend to the competition committee — timeouts will no longer be permitted following an icing call.
Bettman said the hotly debated coach’s challenge is working as expected, though there was agreement that stricter timing was required from coaches on deciding whether to challenge or not, especially on offside rulings. The commissioner also said the updated concussion protocol is working as intended.
GMs were told the cap might remain close to flat from the current US$73 million, Daly noting a potential jump of $2.5-3 million.
Coyotes aren’t leaving Arizona, but future in Glendale untenable
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Fans of a potential NHL team in Quebec City should stand down for now.
While NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stressed that the Arizona Coyotes do not have a future in Glendale, he also said the league is committed to the team remaining in Arizona. In other words, the Coyotes aren’t moving anywhere but within the boundaries of their desert state.
“We have not given up on that market,” Bettman said on the final day of GM meetings. “But we wanted to make clear that the long-term future and viability of that team, the Coyotes, isn’t going to be in Glendale.”
Bettman was referring to a letter he sent Arizona politicians in support of a bill that would fund a new arena in the greater Phoenix area.
The Coyotes play at Gila River Arena in Glendale, but with great uncertainty. The city cancelled a long-term lease agreement with the club in 2015, and the lease now operates on a year-to-year basis.
“The team has got a number of options and is going to pursue them so nobody should think that team is moving — other than out of Glendale,” Bettman said.
“But short-term they’re going to stay in Glendale while they’re pursuing the options.”