Edmonton aces hopeful of ‘full and fair’ season
The Edmonton Oilers’ dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are holding out hope that the National Hockey League’s “paused” season will resume in time to crown a Stanley Cup champion.
McDavid, who last week was named the league’s top forward in a poll of members of the NHL Players Association, said in a video conference call he favors playing Edmonton’s final 11 games of the regular season rather than going straight into the playoffs if and when hockey returns from a lengthy hiatus due to the COVID19 pandemic.
“A fair season is a full season,” said Edmonton’s 23-year-old captain. “That’s what we’d obviously prefer. I don’t think we can just step into playoffs and in Game 1 have guys running around killing each other when we haven’t played in two months. We want to keep guys healthy and we want to make sure everyone’s up and ready for playoff hockey.”
McDavid closed his portion of the video conference by saluting frontline healthcare professionals battling the coronavirus.
“What they’re doing is amazing,” he said. “The numbers that they’re dealing with are just crazy. A big thanks to all of them.”
Draisaitl, leading the scoring race with 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in 71 games, said: “We all want to get back to playing as soon as possible, but right now there’s more important things going on in the world and we have to accept that.”
The 24-year-old sniper added he is doing his best to work out at home.
“We’re obviously a little bit limited, but I have a gym in my house here in Edmonton so I try to do something different every day to stay in shape. I go for runs, do stairs, all kinds of different stuff. Hopefully we can all get back to playing soon and bring this into the playoffs.”
Meanwhile, two other superstars — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin — said they favor going straight into the playoffs.
“You try to get in as many games as you can, but I wouldn’t mind starting right at the playoffs,” said Crosby, who topped the NHLPA poll in two categories, being named the league’s most complete player and best clutch performer.
Ovechkin didn’t mince his words: “Sorry, guys. We don’t want to play extra games.” When the season was put on hold the Oilers sat second in the Pacific division with 83 points through 71 games.
Ovechkin’s Capitals topped the Metropolitan division with 90 points from 69 games, while Crosby’s Penguins were four points back of Washington.
Every team in the NHL has played at least 68 of 82 regular-season games, which deputy commissioner Bill Daly said constitutes “a meaningful season” in the league’s eyes. Daly said on Friday there is “a bigger window than originally thought” to finish the regular season and playoffs, and has asked teams for arena availability into August.
Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, who won the Stanley Cup in 2007, said the NHL must be careful with whatever it ultimately decides.
“You hear all these different scenarios,” said Getzlaf. “It would be a great thing to be able to finish the season out properly and make sure we protect the integrity of the game. You can’t just throw out some weird playoff format.”
NHL notes:
* The Ottawa Senators are making temporary layoffs and salary reductions because of COVID-19.
The team’s parent company says the full-time workforce will be reduced starting on Sunday. Those not laid off could be placed on furlough. Others could have their salaries reduced. Health benefits will continue uninterrupted.
* San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson isn’t ready to remove the interim head coach tag from Bob Boughner’s title yet.
Wilson believes Boughner has the edge in taking over the job on a permanent basis. “Does Bob know our group and have the upper hand in this process? Absolutely,” Wilson said during a conference call on Thursday.