OPINION: The NHL has about $500 millions reasons to want to finish this season
Assuming we have the days right, this should be Monday, which means it’s time for the musings and meditations on the world of sports.
• In a world yearning for some sign of normalcy, most hockey fans would take a look at the NHL’s plan to finish this season and say, “Great, where do I sign up?”
Four locales will host the four divisions — and it’s hard to see where Vancouver wouldn’t fit in the mix for the Pacific Division. A meaningful training camp starting in mid- to late May. The conclusion of the regular season followed by a Stanley Cup tournament.
It might be missing some things — like fans — but given what we’ve endured for the last six weeks, the resumption of play would be welcomed all over the hockey world.
The problem, of course, is when you start asking questions about how this is all going to work. Which is also the problem facing any plan to reopen society.
What happens, for example, the first time a player tests positive for the coronavirus? How can they adequately test all the players, coaches, trainers, equipment managers and staff for each team on a regular basis? How long will it take to receive the results of those tests? Will the players agree to being separated from their families for up to four months?
Each question, in turn, raises another series of questions. Those questions generate more questions. And for all that, here’s the big one. What would happen to the league if it restarted, then had to cancel again?
Look, the NHL is a US$5-billion business which is looking to mitigate its losses this season. That’s understandable. It’s also believed the league can generate about $500 million in revenues if it plays out this season, and that money might buy some time to start the 2020-21 season under more desirable circumstances.
But the calculation here is over the risk and the reward. And the risk to the NHL is gargantuan on so many levels.
There are smart people running the league. There are also greedy people running the league. It’s been clear for a couple of weeks now the NHL is pushing this plan to finish the season, and the only force that can stop it is the public health authority.
With so much at stake, they’d better get it right.
• Thanks to the alert readers who pointed out the 1990 draft was held at B.C. Place and not, as reported here, at the Pacific Coliseum. Now for the sad part. I was at the frickin’ event.
• As a public service in these trying times, here are five songs which are guaranteed to make you feel better.
1. Better Things, The Kinks
2. What Is Life, George Harrison
3. Rosalita, Bruce Springsteen
4. People Got To Be Free, The Rascals
5. Any cover of Pretty Flamingo but the Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, guys from Squeeze version is recommended.
Honourable mention: The Lions Sleeps Tonight by The Tokens, but you really need to sing it with your two-year-old granddaughter for maximum effect.
Chase Claypool of Abbotsford, who starred for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday during the second round of the NFL’s virtual draft.
Andy Lyons /
Getty Images Files
• Granted there are more experts on the NFL draft than there are stars in the sky, but a couple of platforms opined the Pittsburgh Steelers might have reached to draft Abbotsford’s Chase Claypool 49th overall.
Maybe. But here are two thoughts.
1. I’m unfamiliar with a game where a 6-foot-4, 230-pound receiver who runs 4.4 in the 40 isn’t effective.
2. The Steelers have a pretty good track record in drafting receivers.
• A couple of other takeaways from the NFL Draft.
— In previous drafts Roger Goodell set a high standard for awkwardness with the ritualistic hugging of first-round draft picks, but give the man credit. His attempts to jack up the virtual crowd for the virtual draft — “Let me hear you, Kansas City!!!!” — were even more cringeworthy.
— Don’t know if the best move was the Packers trading up to draft quarterback Jordan Love when their own quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, was crying for help. Do know it was the most dramatic.
— Can’t wait to see what Eagles coach Doug Peterson does with Jalen Hurts, the multi-dimensional quarterback from Oklahoma by way of Alabama.
— Or maybe I was just thinking about Jason Botchford, the ultimate Eagles fan, with that last one.
Find it hard to believe, but it’s been a year since we lost Botch and the sense of loss is still as fresh, still as real, as the day I heard he was gone.
I’m not going to pretend we were close, but I worked with the man for 13 years. Over that time I watched him grow into a force who reshaped the way the game is covered; a force whose influence on this market transcended the sports pages.
I didn’t always agree with his methods, but you couldn’t deny his impact or his connection with Canucks fans. He built something with those fans, a relationship unlike any I’ve seen between a writer and his audience. It was loud, profane, funny but mostly it was passionate, and that was reflected in the comments on Twitter over the weekend when #RIPBotch became a trending topic in Canada.
He touched so many people during his time here and they remembered over the weekend, remembered everything Botch gave them.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
