nhl

The New York Rangers are looking at a January 15 start date

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Multiple sources have stated that the NHL and the New York Rangers could start their season on January 15th. Sportsnet and TSN have reported that the NHL and NHLPA have been engaged in discussions recently about a Jan. 15 start date for the 2020-21 season.

This is one of many issues that need to be worked out in order for the season to start. First, there needs to be a complete realignment for the 2020-21 season to be played, which will include an all-Canadian division to alleviate the worry of border crossings. Both sides will also need to agree on a modified schedule, more health and safety protocols, and determine if the games will be played in regional hubs or in each team’s arenas.

The thought is that if January 15 is the start date and the other issues are worked out, training camps would begin around the first of the year. There is also speculation that the seven teams that did not make the playoffs last season would be allowed around an extra week of voluntary training.

Under these proposals, it does not look like the Rangers will play a full slate of games in the 2020-21 season.

Elliot Friedman of Sportnet told a radio station that “The number of games would be in the 50s. I had some people telling me 52, I had some people telling me 56.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in an interview with Sports Business Journal on Wednesday that the league’s most important focus is on wrapping up the 2021 campaign in a timely fashion.

“I think this is the most important thing: What we’re focused on is trying to get through the 2021 season so we can be back in position for 2021-22 to [get back to] normalcy,” Bettman said. “Based on everything that we’re hearing, we can look at normalcy by the time we get to ’21-22 with whatever happens this season.”

According to TSN, Thursday’s back-and-forth was unrelated to the NHL’s recent economic requests, which remain unresolved, according to TSN sources. The NHLPA has not wavered in its stance that a Collective Bargaining Agreement extension ratified by both sides in July properly accounts for all of the economic realities related to the pandemic.

At the very least, this news provides hope that there will be some sort of season in 2021.

 

 

 

 

A New York Ranger season starting on January 1 is looking less likely

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National Hockey League, NHL

Recently, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the targeted start date of January 1 for the NHL and the New York Rangers is a “work in progress”.  Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of work to done and not a lot of time left to finish it if the league and the Blueshirts want to ring in 2021 by starting their season.

One of the issues is money. Recently, the NHL asked the players to defer more salary past this season beyond the 10 percent already agreed to last summer. The players have balked at this. As of Wednesday, the NHLPA had not offered anything to alter what was agreed to in the June Memo of Understanding defining the parameters of the CBA extension.

Speaking at the Sports Business Journal’s “Dealmakers in Sport” panel on Wednesday, Bettman said the pandemic is a huge factor in its plans for the upcoming campaign. Bettman also said Wednesday that he didn’t view their talks as a renegotiation, but rather the “system’s going to be impacted” and that needs to be addressed in order to return to play amid these extraordinary circumstances.

Then there is the reason the Rangers, the NHL, and sports leagues around the world are in a state of flux, the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was addressed by the commissioner on Wednesday when he said “COVID is going through a second wave, which could be worse than the first wave, and between Thanksgiving and the aftermath and what they think is going to happen for Christmas and the aftermath, we are taking our time and making sure as we look to ways to move forward, we are focused on health and safety and doing the right things.”

Bettman said the league is focused on safely navigating this season, pinning its hopes to the widespread distribution of a vaccine as a way to return to business as usual next fall.

“We are hopeful and optimistic based on everything we are hearing that we can get back to normalcy in ’21-22,” said Bettman.

Of course, Bettman is seeing what is happening in the NFL, as numerous players contracting the virus has wreaked havoc in the schedule.

Then there is the recent news that 48 out of 546 NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 in the initial testing phase from Nov. 24-30. The NBA is attempting to start their season on December 22.

The final barrier to starting the season on January 1 is the holidays.

A mid to late January start is looking more realistic and likely.

 

Could we see advertisements on New York Ranger jerseys?

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Recently, the New York Rangers and the NHL released their new reverse retro jerseys. What might be missing from that jersey is some kind of ad patch placement, an idea that is being kicked around in some circles for the upcoming season.

Although the NHL has said nothing publically, the league is looking for ways to increase revenue from a season that is sure to be without fans in the stands for at least most of the season. At this hour, insiders are saying that the NHLPA has really stuck to its guns and has not agreed to anything beyond the terms already negotiated four or five months ago with the MOU (memorandum of understanding) and the CBA extension. That could change, but at this point they are very much in their resolve in believing that the NHL should honor those terms.

If this holds true, the NHL will need to look at ways to increase revenue, and ad patches on jerseys are just one of the many ideas that are circulating.

The NBA had recently done this, in a way that does not offend fans who worry that their team’s favorite jerseys will end up looking like a NASCAR driver’s gear, something that is done in other leagues around the world.

The NHL is not the only league that may be looking to do this in 2021.

 

Traditionalists cringe at the thought of any kind of advertisement on a jersey or helmet. The NHL has been reluctant to go this route.

“It’s not an active discussion among NHL clubs,” commissioner Gary Bettman said about jersey ads in 2017. “I always said we wouldn’t be first. OK, great. The NBA is doing it. But it would take an unusual circumstance – which I would define as a lot of money that I’m having trouble comprehending right now’ – for us to even be thinking about it.”

However, things are different in 2020 than they were in 2017.

One of the major proponents of this idea is Sportsnet hockey insider Elliot Friedman.

“If you look at the NBA there’s a small little logo near the top of the jersey and you can see it, but it’s not all over the place. It’s enough you know it’s there,” Friedman said.

“If I’m a player I’m saying ‘Yeah I understand, but it’s time.’ No more of this ‘it’s tradition, we don’t want to touch these jerseys.’ If the Boston Celtics can have it, and the New York Knicks can have it…

“If I’m a player I’m simply saying it’s time. If you want us to agree to give back money you have to agree to maximize revenues.”

It will also be important to know that if the NHL follows the NBA, jerseys purchased at retail outlets will generally not have the advertisement logo on them.

Last summer, Ken Rosenthal best summed up the idea of putting ads on MLB jerseys that would probably mirror what some New York Ranger and NHL fans are feeling: “Traditionalists would hate it, but the pandemic has created exceptional financial circumstances and such ads would be an easy way to make money.”

 

 

 

New York Islanders: The Devon Toews trade was the right move

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New York Islanders, Devon Toews

Everyone and their mother know that the New York Islanders had to trade Devon Toews because of cap space problems. Then all of a sudden, Johnny Boychuk retires and frees up a good amount of cap space. Now everyone is calling for Lou Lamoriello’s head because of this. This is interesting for many reasons, but a primary one is that no one knew how bad Boychuk’s eye was.

Boychuk was ready to play another season just two weeks ago, and now his illustrious career is over. I believe trading Devon Toews was the right move, and it’ll remain the right move.

Arbitration Hearing

Devon Toews was traded basically right before his court hearing. Lou Lamoriello has stated many times that he didn’t know how much they would award a player of his caliber. It’s not like Toews was being shopped the entire offseason like Boychuk was. But in the end, Toews got traded, and it’s the right move. I mean, let’s say we kept Toews and Boychuk still retired, those contracts almost cancel each other out, and the Isles still have no money to resign Mat Barzal.

Cap Space

The Islanders would have no room to sign Mat Barzal. Through my estimations, they would have around $6 million to sign him, Greene, Martin, and Schneider. This is not NHL 21; this is an unrealistic scenario. These players deserve money, and that’s what they’re going to get. How much Barzal wants remains a mystery.

Barzal could be asking for $9.5 million for all we know. I assume it’s lower than that based on what Ryan Pulock said when he resigned. But still, you could not keep Toews, Pulock, and Barzal on the Island if they re-signed Toews. The Isles chose the better two players, their franchise players stayed as they try to win a championship.

Time is running out for the New York Rangers to start a season on January 1

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New York Rangers, Igor Shesterkin

The NHL and the New York Rangers are running out of time to start the season on January 1 as previously planned, with a variety of COVID-19 problems standing in the way. There is uncertainty on many fronts.

With virus cases surging across North America and the reality that there will be a bigger revenue shortfall than owners originally feared, questions have arisen about amending the current CBA agreement, which has put the start of the season in jeopardy.

The NHL is facing similar problems that MLB had to start their season, as the issue is how to deal with finances in the current pandemic. The Associated Press has reported that less than five months since the CBA agreement, the league has asked players to increase salary deferrals to 20% or 26% and increasing the escrow caps. With the current thinking that the season will not include a full slate of 82 games, the season is shorter than a full 82 games, players could balk at taking pro-rated salaries while escrow amounts are increased.

The current CBA ensures a 50/50 split of hockey-related revenue; includes players deferring 10% of their salary for the upcoming season; and puts a cap on how much money will be kept in escrow over the length of the deal.

Speaking of the virus, there has been an increase in reported cases among players, as multiple Columbus Blue Jackets and Vegas Golden Knights recently tested positive for the coronavirus. Team facilities are open for voluntary workouts with protocols in place, though those teams had to close off-ice areas.

One thing is fairly certain for next season, which is a temporary realignment of divisions, including an all-Canadian division.

This division makes sense since the border with the U.S. is closed to nonessential travel through Dec. 21 and likely beyond. Bettman was quoted earlier this month saying that the NHL isn’t moving those seven teams south of the border “so we have to look at alternative ways to play.”

Multiple sources have stated that the rest of the NHL will likely play in these divisions:

— New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, and Boston.

— A division with Arizona, Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Vegas, Colorado, Dallas, and either Minnesota or St. Louis.

— A division with St. Louis or Minnesota, Chicago, Nashville, Detroit, Columbus, Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Florida.

Playoffs in the same divisions would determine the final four playing for the Stanley Cup.

All of this will need to be worked out soon if the league wants to start playing on January 1. The league will need to have a training camp of roughly two weeks would need to happen before opening night. The later the season starts, the fewer games there might be as the general consensus is that the Stanley Cup should probably be awarded before the re-scheduled Summer Olympics open in Tokyo on July 23.

 

 

 

 

New York Islanders: Johnny Boychuk’s career is over, references eye injury as deciding factor

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New York Islanders, Johnny Boychuk

Longtime New York Islanders defenceman Johnny Boychuk’s career is officially over. It’s a really sad day for all Islander fans as one of the guys who changed the franchise around has to retire early.

Hearing the trade for Boychuk and Nick Leddy simultaneously, every NHL fan knew the Islanders were on the upswing. And that trade doesn’t feel so long ago, but that was 6 years in the past. Johnny Boychuk isn’t that elite 30-year-old with the booming slapshot anymore. He’s a great 36-year-old veteran who would give it his all 60 minutes a night.

Johnny Boychuk is being forced to retire due to his eye injury that happened back in March. His face was sliced by a skate while in front of the net. He currently has permanent nerve damage in his eye and bad peripheral vision. It’s a sad ending for a fan favorite.

What’s Next?

Johnny Boychuk will never step on the ice ever again for a professional Hockey team. As he said, “it’s not a decision, it was a life choice I guess.” Johnny Boychuk will take a behind the scenes role with some team. It’ll probably be the Islanders as he tries to win his second Stanley Cup, but this time he’ll win it off the ice. Lou Lamoriello loves to keep his guys around, so it wouldn’t shock anyone if Boychuk doesn’t leave the Island for good.

The Positives

In this sad situation, there are only two positives I can think of from this. One is that Johnny Boychuk will be safe, and we won’t have to worry about him on the ice. If his eye started going and he couldn’t see someone coming at him, yeah, that’s very bad. All Isles fans want the best for Johnny Rocket.

Another positive is the cap space. The Islanders gain back a good amount of cap space from this and should be able to sign Mat Barzal now. Also, they have those 2 second-round picks from the Toews trade lying around. All in all, I love you, Boychuk. It’s been a pleasure watching you for so many years, thank you for everything. It’s okay, you can go now, you did everything you could, the Islanders will be fine.

Seven historic New York Ranger events that fans can be “thankful”

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Madison Square Garden

There have been quite a few moments in the long storied history of the New York Rangers. As many will take the opportunity to sit down tomorrow and take part in the Thanksgiving holiday, here are seven moments that many Blueshirt fans might be thankful for. With a long history, we will go back to events 25 years or older that played significant roles in the development that embodies everything that is the New York Rangers.

1. The founding of the New York Rangers in 1926

This list would not be complete if the original founding of the Rangers was not included. George Lewis “Tex” Rickard, president of Madison Square Garden, was awarded an NHL franchise for the 1926–27 season to compete with the now-defunct New York Americans, who had begun play at the Garden the previous season. A successful team was put together which led to players becoming minor celebrities and fixtures in New York City’s Roaring Twenties nightlife. It was also during this time, playing at the Garden on 48th Street, blocks away from Times Square, that the Rangers obtained their now-famous nickname “The Broadway Blueshirts”.

2. The Stanley Cup run of 1979

In 1979, the Rangers shocked the hockey world, beating the then-mighty and arch-rival New York Islanders to reach the Stanley Cup Final. Even though they ended up losing to Montreal, the playoff run was magical. Current Rangers president John Davidson was absolutely outstanding in goal.

 3. The “Bread line”

Before Artemi Panarin and his “breadman” moniker joined the Blueshirts last season, the Rangers had three longtime players known as the “Bread line”. This line existed between 1926 and 1937 and It consisted of Hall of Famers Bill Cook, Bun Cook, and Frank Boucher. This line was part of two Stanley Cup champions, in 1928 and 1933. After his playing career was over, Boucher spent time as a coach and later general manager for the Blueshirts.

4. Andy Bathgate and the goalie mask

Most Ranger fans know that Andy Bathgate was an accomplished player and led the Blueshirts to Stanley Cup glory in 1964. But the most thankful contribution he helped make was an incident that led to goalies wearing masks on a permanent basis. Renowned for the strength of his slap shot, Bathgate shot the puck into the face of Montreal Canadien Jacques Plante during a game in November of 1959, forcing Plante to receive stitches. When Plante returned to the ice, he was wearing a mask. That started a trend that led to it and other protective gear becoming mandatory equipment. Much to the dismay of plastic surgeons and dentists everywhere, the device saves many from serious injury and disfigured faces.

5. 1994 Stanley Cup Championship

While ending the “curse” was surely significant, some other memorable and thankful situations happened during this championship such as the very memorable Howie Rose call of Matteau! Matteau! Matteau! when Stephane Matteau scored a goal in double overtime, leading the team to the finals for the first time since 1979.

6. Frank Boucher’s “gathering”

As most of gather live or virtually on Thanksgiving, another unique gathering played a big role in Ranger lore. On the eve of the 1940 Cup-winning game in Toronto, Boucher eliminated the traditional serious team strategy session and instead invited his skaters to have a few beers at a hotel pub. Boucher chose the Ford Hotel for the “non-pep talk” which would be held in the hotel tavern on the afternoon the day before game six against the Maple Leafs. Author Eric Whitehead, who wrote “The Patricks — Hockey’s Royal Family”, chronicled the Rangers’ unique “strategy” that spontaneously took place the night before the teams took the ice. “Boucher Frank figured that this volatile gang of his needed an extra touch such as a pint or two with dear friends in familiar surroundings.” That season Boucher also invented the “box” defense for killing penalities and implemented forechecking.

7. “The center red line”

Watching a game with constant stops due to offsides can be frustrating. Former New York Ranger Frank Boucher once again makes this lead as an innovation he created with Cecil Duncan helped open up the game, making it more enjoyable for all. The pair introduced the center red line in the 1943–44 season, in an effort to open up the game by reducing the number of offside infractions and create excitement with quicker counter-attacks. The change allowed the defending team to pass the puck out of their own zone up to the red line, instead of being required to skate over the nearest blue line and then pass the puck forward.

 

 

New York Islanders rumors: Serious cap relief incoming

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Andrew Ladd, New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have some serious cap space issues. And they have to resign Mat Barzal relatively soon. Islander fans can finally take the anvil off their foot. Incarcerated Bob has tweeted that someone is either retiring or being put on LTIR. He also stated that he’s trying to get full details on this to see if this will actually happen soon. That disclaimer is for you, Bob, now you don’t have to worry about “false information.” Let’s say hypothetically that someone on the Islanders is retiring or being put on LTIR soon. What impact would this have on their cap space? And who are the candidates for this fate?

Andrew Ladd

Andrew Ladd has had a long 16 year NHL career. After only playing 30 NHL games within the last 2 years due to injury, the skates might finally be hung up. If Ladd retires, he has nothing in his career that he wished he could do better. He was a great captain for the Atlanta Thrashers. Ladd was a two time Stanley Cup Champion. He’ll end up with just short of 1000 pro Hockey games played and over 500 points recorded. There would be no shame if Ladd hangs the skates up. This would also open up $5.5 million in cap space for the Islanders, which would solve almost all of their problems. Ladd is the most likely candidate.

Johnny Boychuk

Johnny Boychuk is still an NHL caliber defenseman, which is why it hurts me to say that he might retire. Boychuk has been hurt 3 times every season for the last 3 years. And when you get up there in age, after a long successful career, calling it quits isn’t unlikely. The Islanders have also stated that they would offer Boychuk a behind the scenes role with the team if he retired. This retirement wouldn’t open a ton of cap space, but it would still be enough to resign Mat Barzal.

New York Islanders: Addressing the Josh Bailey trade rumors

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Josh Bailey, New York Islanders

There recently has been rumors over long time New York Islanders forward, Josh Bailey. Jimmy Murphy, from Florida Hockey Now, has stated that the Islanders might trade Bailey due to limited cap space left to resign Mat Barzal.

I’m here to put all these rumors to bed once and for all. Josh Bailey has played 865 NHL games in his career, and all 865 games are with the Islanders. That might not mean something in other sports, but it does in Hockey. Bailey could’ve left for any other team, but he continually chooses the Island over all others. Also, Josh Bailey continues to improve his play each year. Don’t look at the stats, look at how he plays and how it affects his linemates. The Islanders won’t trade Josh Bailey.

The reasoning behind this rumor is questionable in the first place. Jimmy Murphy decided to write an opinion piece which is normal. And his piece was that the Islanders might trade away Bailey so that they can resign Mat Barzal. It’s just an idea, just a hypothetical situation. But, somehow this piece gets blown out of proportion and now it’s a full-blown rumor.

Josh Bailey will not be traded and that surprises no Islanders’ fans. The Islanders will get rid of one of their other big money guys like Johnny Boychuk to compensate for Barzal’s return. I’d assume Boychuk and both second-round picks to somewhere.  Islanders’ fans shouldn’t worry as number 12 won’t be heading anywhere other than the rafters.

New York Islanders: Is Zdeno Chara a real possibility?

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New York Islanders, Zdeno Chara

There’s an expression, those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. The New York Islanders obviously have never heard of this before. Jimmy Murphy has linked the Islanders to Zdeno Chara. For all the youngins, the Islanders actually drafted Zdeno Chara in the 3rd round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Chara spent his first four seasons on the Island before he was shipped off in the Alexei Yashin deal. There’s a real possibility that Zdeno Chara ends his career with the team he started it with. What part of this addition benefits the Islanders?

Veteran Leadership

Zdeno Chara is 43 years old, and he actually might be older than that. The Islanders have a bunch of up and coming defenseman—Noah Dobson, Bode Wilde, Samuel Bolduc, and Sebastian Aho, to name a few. Chara can be the guy to teach these young defensemen how to become an ironman. Even though Chara is 43 years old, he still plays 18+ minutes a night. Not only that, but he played 3 Stanley Cup Final games with a broken jaw. Everyone in that locker room would run through a wall if he’s around the organization.

Brute Strength

Zdeno Chara has what I like to call brute strength. The Islanders need his presence in front of Varlamov/Sorokin. Too many times this year, a small forward got into the crease and got a stupid tap-in goal. Chara will never allow someone to do this. I mean, he’s 6’9, 7’2 on skates, and one of the best fighters in NHL history. If the Islanders can pull this off, they will provide some serious relief for their goaltenders.

Conclusion

I think this signing makes a lot of sense for the Islanders. But, only if they trade Johnny Boychuk first. Chara takes Boychuk’s spot and for about 4 million dollars cheaper.