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The Sabers are furious because they were forced to play a home game last Sunday against the Devils in possibly murky circumstances while, on the other hand, the NBA Nets are furious because Kevin Durant does was not allowed to stay on the pitch on Friday.
Which suggests, or perhaps reminds, that attempting to play professional sporting seasons through the teeth of a pandemic is flawed science and that there will be room for criticism of both great caution and not be careful enough.
Mistakes will be made. Protocols will need to be adjusted. And the NHL will most certainly need to amass more information to find out if inter-team transmission is in fact a reality, although medical professionals who advise the league believe infections are much more likely to spread. between teammates who spend time together in close collaboration. .
This is why, I’ve been told, teams are reminding their players and staff not to slack off when it comes to social distancing and to wear masks in training arenas.
We live with inconsistent mandates and regulations in every part of our life. Why is this establishment open and why is it closed? Why is this school open but not this one?
And, in the case of the NHL, what’s the point of making sure players are six feet apart in the locker room – according to a new guideline released this week, clubs must reconfigure the home and visitor rooms to accommodate appropriate social distancing, which is likely a physical impossibility in most buildings – if they are crumpled together, breathing heavily on the bench?
It really seems paradoxical.
The Sabers were apparently upset that they could not get information from the Devils or the league on the condition of Kyle Palmieri, who had played on Saturday, January 30, but was placed on the COVID shortlist the next day. This in the context of several Devils that have been previously placed on the list.
But protocols accepted by the NHL and NHLPA prohibited the Devils or the league from providing additional information to the Sabers regarding Palmieri, who could have tested positive, but who could also have been on the shortlist for contact tracing. .
We are told the parties may revisit this policy, although it is not clear whether disclosure of a hypothetical positive test result for Palmieri would have affected the league’s decision to go ahead with the game. It would no doubt have generated a deeper dialogue, but the Sabers would not have been able to unilaterally postpone the game.
Sources have indicated that the NHL expects the vaccines to be available to players in perhaps a month or six weeks. If the postponement waves continue and the outbreaks spread, there should probably be a dialogue about suspending the season until the vaccinations are over and the reshaping into (what?) A 40-game schedule.
The MLB played 60 games last year and produced a credible World Series champion, so there is no need to worry about delegitimizing the playoffs or the Stanley Cup if the NHL schedule is to be reduced further. The season unfolds anyway according to unique guidelines.
If the players’ association considers that its health is threatened by its members, the union has by all means the obligation to voice its concerns to the league. But I have a distinct impression that, at least at this point, the PA and NHL are operating closely.
This week, the league (with the approval of the PA) issued a directive that essentially barred players from showing up to games until one hour and 45 minutes before the puck was dropped unless medically treated is not necessary. Most players report between two and a half and three hours before a game.
After the input from the players, the decree was amended so that athletes could report before the 1:45 threshold, “to receive the necessary treatment or to engage in pre-match preparations”.
I believe professional sports leagues are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. I think the leagues care about the health of their players at least as much as fans or upstate politicians with stained records looking to score cheap points.
Imagine my surprise at becoming something of a Sixth Avenue apologist.
So my good friends at The Athletic – Scott Burnside, Craig Custance and Pierre Lebrun – came up with rosters for the 2022 Olympics. For the US team, only four right-wing defenders were named – Jeff Petry, John Carlson, Charlie McAvoy and Seth Jones.
But neither they, nor you, and especially the American squad hierarchy, should sleep on Adam Fox, who is emerging as an elite talent in his second season on the Rangers blue line.
Artemi Panarin is the Rangers’ best player. But Fox is not that far behind. Fox is a legitimate candidate, although his resume and portfolio is not as complete as the aforementioned quartet.
Coming to think that if this, this deal for a defenseman who initially refused to sign with Calgary after being drafted by the Flames has worked out a little better than it did about 10 years ago for Tim Erixon, isn’t isn’t it?
Following on from Jason Spezza, 37, who recorded a hat trick this week for the Maple Leafs, it’s worth remembering that on June 23, 2001, the Islanders and Mike Milbury traded the draft pick that would have allowed Spezza, plus Zdeno Chara, to the Senators in exchange for Alexi Yashin.
That almost makes Rick Middleton reasonable for Ken Hodge. Or, for the Oilers, Ryan Strome for Ryan Spooner.
So back to the past: Islanders all-time numbers 17: 1. Greg Gilbert; 2. Jude Drouin; 3. Shawn Bates; 4. Matt Martin; 5. Alex McKendry. Credit: Wendell Clark.
If you can point me to a more disastrous league contract than that of Jeff Skinner, who has one point (an assist) in 10 games this year and recorded 24 points (14-10) in 69 games since the Sabers were called. signed the winger to an eight-year extension worth an average of $ 9 million a year, I’m all ears.
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