NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said that planning next season is proving to be a highly difficult task.
"It's a totally different challenge and requires a whole bunch of different considerations that I think probably, in some respects, are more challenging than the return to play plans," Daly told The Athletic's Michael Russo. "You need to gather as much information as you can, you need to take as much time as you can, and you need to make the best decisions you can."
One of the league's major obstacles continues to be the Canadian government's 14-day quarantine period for international travelers.
However, the federal government will test international travelers as a means to provide added flexibility to the existing quarantine rules, The Toronto Sun's Bryan Passifiume reports. Those who test negative for COVID-19 upon entering the country can forgo quarantine if they agree to a second test within a week.
Daly said that if the pilot program is successful and ultimately becomes permanent, his job will be significantly easier.
"The pilot program, at least on its face, if it goes well and it becomes more widespread, and that is the mechanism (for) health and safety ... that could be very, very helpful to a return to play strategy next season for us," Daly said.
If the 14-day quarantine remains in place, the league may be forced to get creative in terms of a realignment. With seven teams based north of the border, the league could conceivably form an all-Canadian division.
Daly, however, isn't committed to any specific format.
"I'm being honest when I say that there is nolikely scenario. In other words, I couldn't pick one. I could identify 10-12 scenarios for you right now and I wouldn't be able to pick a likely scenario," he said. "While we have to make these decisions in a matter of weeks, I couldn't tell you that we're leaning any one over any other. It really is going to be a product of a whole bunch of considerations that have yet to materialize."
The NHL is targeting Jan. 1 as the potential start date for next season and reportedly hopes to do so at an aesthetically pleasing site.
The Calgary Flames signed defenseman Nikita Nesterov to a one-year, $700,000 contract, the team announced Friday.
Nesterov spent the last three seasons with CSKA Moscow of the KHL. As the club's captain in 2019-20, he finished first among its blue-liners with 23 points in 53 games.
The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Nesterov in the fifth round of the 2011 draft. He suited up in 119 regular-season games with the Bolts from 2014 to 2017 and had a brief 13-game stint with the Montreal Canadiens in 2017.
He's totaled 33 points in 132 career NHL games, primarily in a third-pairing role.
Nesterov has represented Russia on the international stage numerous times, winning a gold medal at the 2018 Olympics.
The 5-foot-11, 191-pound rearguard will likely serve a depth role on the Flames' blue line. Here's how Calgary's top six projects to shake out:
A number of the NHL's general managers are calling for the league to once again tweak its draft lottery format.
During a virtual meeting Friday, multiple executives around the league argued to increase the odds for the teams that finish lowest in the standings, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
The NHL first introduced a weighted lottery system in 1995, which differed slightly from the system used today. All teams were able to win the lottery, but teams were able to move up a maximum of four positions in the draft. This meant the No. 1 selection could be won by only a bottom-five team; the Los Angeles Kings won the lottery in 1995 and were awarded the No. 3 pick.
However, in an effort to discourage tanking, the league changed its system in 2015. It spread the odds for all non-playoff teams and gave every club a chance at the top pick.
The lottery was altered once again in 2016, putting the top three picks in play for the lottery rather than just the first. That ensured the last-place team is guaranteed a top-four selection rather than the second overall pick if it lost the lottery.
The Detroit Red Wings were "incredibly upset" this year after dropping to the fourth pick despite having the best odds for the No. 1 selection. Detroit has support for its position but the league asked for specific proposals, Friedman adds.
The NHL is looking to hold opening day of the 2020-21 season at an aesthetically pleasing location to make it even more memorable, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.
Beginning the campaign at Lake Louise in Alberta was one possibility, but that idea has since been squashed due to issues that surfaced after visiting the site, Russo adds.
Two of the league's marquee events in 2021 - All-Star Weekend and the Winter Classic - were postponed Thursday until 2022 at the earliest.
The league is still targeting Jan. 1 as the potential start date for next season.
The Professional Women's Hockey Players Associationannounced Thursday that it's received a $1 million commitment from Secret deodorant to fund the Dream Gap Tour in 2021.
"Thanks to brands like Secret, players are given access to the necessary training facilities and resources and opportunities to compete, that professional sport demands," said PWHPA operations consultant Jayna Hefford.
The PWHPA was established in May 2019 after the shutdown of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. The association created the Dream Gap Tour in 2020, which Secret supported, to showcase women's hockey across North America. The tour features over 100 of the sport’s top talents.
The COVID-19 pandemic is heavily impacting professional sports leagues worldwide, and it has kept women's hockey on the sidelines for several months.
"COVID-19 affected our positive momentum and threatened our upcoming season," Hefford said. "We’re so thankful for Secret’s ongoing support of the PWHPA.
"The PWHPA is made up of the best hockey players in the world, the fans deserve a chance to watch these women play and our players deserve to be treated equitably. This is a pivotal moment to create real change in women’s professional sports."
The PWHPA also announced its plan for the second Dream Gap Tour. Teams will be based in five markets (Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Minnesota, and New Hampshire), and will compete in six showcase events across the continent. For the first time ever, cash prizes and the Secret Cup will be up for grabs.
The NHL is teaming up with the American Gaming Association to encourage responsible betting, the league announced Friday.
Through their "Have A Game Plan, Bet Responsibly" public service campaign, the NHL and AGA will display messages in arenas and on digital platforms. The campaign's recommendations include setting and adhering to a gambling budget, maintaining betting as a social activity, understanding odds, and using trusted, regulated operators.
This is the second partnership between the AGA and a professional sports league after NASCAR joined the gaming entity's efforts in September.
Regulated sports betting is legal in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Eleven of the 23 U.S. jurisdictions currently allowing legal sports betting are home to NHL clubs, according to the league's release.
The NHL offseason's initial thrill has come and gone, but that doesn't mean the excitement is entirely over. While most of the top-end free agents have signed, there's still a handful of blockbuster trades that could transpire. The flat salary cap makes trading difficult, but we'll identify six intriguing players who could still get dealt this offseason:
Shayne Gostisbehere
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Gostisbehere has fallen out of favor with the Philadelphia Flyers. He was seemingly placed in Alain Vigneault's doghouse early into the 2019-20 season and couldn't get out. The 27-year-old was a healthy scratch at times and tallied a career-low 12 points in 42 games.
The Flyers reportedly made Gostisbehere available for a trade earlier this offseason, but fellow blue-liner Matt Niskanen shockingly retired a week later. It's unclear if Niskanen's retirement means Gostisbehere may stay put. However, Philadelphia's lone addition on the back end in free agency, Erik Gustafsson, plays a similar offensive game to Gostisbehere.
Gostisbehere was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2015-16 and is just two years removed from a 65-point season, so there should be some interest. His contract - three years left at $4.5 million per season - is reasonable, too. He needs to go to a team where he can use his biggest strength: quarterbacking a top power-play unit.
The Jets were seriously considering moving Laine before the draft and free agency, and a more recent report suggested Laine's camp believes a trade would "probably" be mutually beneficial for the team and player. Laine has expressed displeasure with his second-line role in the past.
Pursuing teams would need to offer more than just prospects and draft picks. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff can't give Laine away for unknown parts. He has to get at least one proven player in return - ideally a top-six center or a top-four defenseman.
Laine is in the final year of his bridge deal, which carries a $6.75-million cap hit. Any interested teams would need to afford him this year and be prepared to hand him a massive extension next offseason. The 22-year-old is one of the most gifted shooters and already has annual 50-goal potential.
Gardiner's transition to the Hurricanes didn't go as smoothly as expected last season. Despite signing a four-year, $16.2-million contract, the former Toronto Maple Leafs blue-liner was relegated to third-pairing duties for most of the campaign. A $4.05-million cap hit is quite expensive for a D-man who averaged just 16:40 of ice time per game in 2019-20.
Carolina has cheaper defensemen who can fill Gardiner's role, so the 30-year-old was reportedly placed on the trade block last week. He has defensive deficiencies, but he's an effortless skater who makes a good first pass. He would provide an upgrade as a top-four defenseman for many teams.
It feels like Ristolainen has been on the trade block for an eternity, but the Sabres haven't found a taker for the 6-foot-4 defenseman. Perhaps new GM Kevyn Adams can do what his predecessor Jason Botterill couldn't.
The Sabres have a logjam on the right side of their blue line. In addition to Ristolainen, Buffalo also has Colin Miller, Henri Jokiharju, and Brandon Montour vying for minutes. Having one of them play on the left isn't ideal.
It might be tough to find a partner for Ristolainen, who, despite being a consistent 40-point producer and having enviable physical traits, is, frankly, not very good. His possession numbers have been horrendous throughout the years, and his $5.4 million for two more seasons is a lot to take on in a flat-cap world for a player with question marks.
We've grouped these two for obvious reasons. The Tampa Bay Lightning have just under $3 million in cap space and need to sign three key restricted free agents: Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak. GM Julien BriseBois must create cap space, and moving Killorn and Johnson are his best chance at doing it.
Killorn should have some value in the trade market. His $4.45-million cap hit for three more seasons isn't a bargain, but it's a tolerable contract for the two-way winger. He seems to be the odd man out since he has a 16-team no-trade list, whereas teammates Ondrej Palat and Yanni Gourde - expendable players making similar money - have full no-trade clauses.
While it's possible a sweetener needs to be added to move Killorn, it's a guarantee one is necessary to trade Johnson, who's already cleared waivers with no takers. Johnson, who has four years left on his deal with a $5-million cap hit, has a full no-trade clause, but he's already told the team he'd be willing to work out a move. One year removed from a 29-goal season, a cap rich team will surely step up and take Johnson if it means getting a good draft pick or prospect.
