National Post (National Edition)
Home games day to day with Ontario, B.C. clubs
SENATORS, LEAFS, CANUCKS BELIEVED IN LIMBO BECAUSE OF PROVINCIAL RULES
The Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks can all open training camp on their home soil.
Whether they'll be able to play games at Scotiabank Arena, the Canadian Tire Centre and Rogers Arena remains up in the air, with the NHL season scheduled to open Jan. 13.
While indications are the NHL remains confident it can solve the situation with provincial officials from Ontario and B.C. before Christmas, there are no guarantees that will happen, which is why the league is preparing to host the newly-formed all-Canadian division with Edmonton as a hub city.
“We just received the plan in the last few days. We're considering it. It's not my only priority right now,” B.C. chief medical officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told Global's Richard Zussman Monday. “We're not the only province that expressed concerns. We've given options back to the NHL.”
The Quebec government hasn't signed off on the Montreal Canadiens playing games at an empty Bell Centre, but the expectation is it eventually will.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who confirmed a 28day lockdown Monday that will begin Boxing Day, was noncommittal when asked if NHL teams from other parts of the country would be allowed in and out of the province to play games against the Leafs and Senators.
“From what I understand that's in front of the health table right now,” Ford said. “No decision has been made on that yet.”
Not all the provinces feel the same, so the NHL is studying using Edmonton for the seven teams if provincial authorities don't come around. Alberta supports the NHL's Return to Play protocols and likely would welcome the league back with open arms after success with the bubble last summer.
In fact, the Alberta government already has thrown its support behind the league and many believe Manitoba won't be an issue for the Winnipeg Jets, either.
In a letter sent to Iain Stewart, the president of the Public Health Agency of Canada located in Ottawa that's dated last Friday, Alberta's chief medical of health Deena Hinshaw wrote that all levels of government health services in the province are on board with the return of the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers.
“Alberta's success in hosting elite sporting events stems from a collaborative relationship between Alberta Health, AHS (Alberta Health Services) and the organizers of these events,” Hinshaw wrote. “Alberta Health and the AHS are united in our support to continue our collaborative relationship with the NHL and their return to practice.”
The Oilers and Flames will both be able to open camp Jan. 3 as scheduled.
Edmonton and Red Deer are hosting the IIHF world junior championships in a bubble that will get under way Dec. 25 in both cities until Jan. 5. However, the bubble is compromised with eight members of Team Germany testing positive on the weekend and another staff member Monday.
Two Swedish players also are in self-isolation, and a team manager was sent home because he compromised the bubble by going to the airport to pick up a piece of luggage.
Still, Alberta will welcome the Flames and Oilers back with open arms.
“I have confirmed with my local colleagues that they support the safe return to practice and training camp protocols,” Hinshaw said. “The Alberta-based NHL teams have resumed practice protocols, and in principle we would support these same protocols being used to facilitate a return to training camp.
“Alberta values the many benefits that hockey brings to Albertans and Canadians, and is supportive of efforts to ensure all Canadians are able to enjoy their teams returning to play on home ice.”
The issue is that Toronto and Ottawa are among the parts of the province locked down by the Ford government and the optics involved will play a big role in any decision. Ontario stated the Leafs and Senators can use their buildings to skate over the next month.
The document released by the province on what can remain open during the lockdown said “facilities operated for the sole use of high-performance athletes, including parasport athletes, and specified professional sports league (e.g. NHL, CFL, MLS, NBA)” can stay open.
The NHL and the NHLPA, plus representatives of the seven Canadian teams, held a call with the federal government plus provincial health authorities on the weekend. Another is expected this week, but during the board call on Sunday there wasn't a lot of hope B.C. would change its mind.
“My guess is we'll see a lot of twists and turns in this story before it's over,” a league executive said Monday.
The seven Canadian teams want to play in their own rinks, but the Canucks are facing the biggest battle and that's why plans are being made to relocate the team to Edmonton if nothing can be resolved. If Ontario and B.C. don't give the go-ahead, then everybody will be headed for Edmonton to start the season.
The belief is the league announced its plans to try to put pressure on the provinces and the local health officials in each NHL city to agree to protocols put in place. As late as last Thursday, Ontario was on board and B.C. was considered the only stumbling block.
Now, Ontario and B.C. are pushing back which means big questions remain.