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Gary Bettman answers fan questions on Instagram about NHL’s return to play – Sportsnet.ca

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After more than two months with little more than a list of unknowns regarding when or how the NHL might be able to resume its 2019-20 campaign in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the league announced its Return to Play Plan on Tuesday.

The comprehensive proposal covers the particulars of how the league’s 24-team playoff will work, the tentative timeline for its phased return to play and the plan for the 2020 NHL Draft lottery.

After the announcement Tuesday afternoon, commissioner Gary Bettman opened the floor to fan questions via the NHL’s Instagram account. Here’s what was covered during the commissioner’s Instagram Q&A:

Would you find it fair if a team not originally in the post-season wins the Stanley Cup under the new format?

Gary Bettman: “The nature of the competition is such that the cream always rises to the top, and the gauntlet that our teams will have to run to win the Cup will make sure that any team that wins the Cup will have earned it.”

What happens if a player, or players, test positive for COVID-19 during the playoffs? Will the playoffs be cancelled?

Bettman: “Our medical people are telling us that they don’t think one positive test will interfere with the competition — that player would have to isolate, but we’re going to have to be guided by the medical people as to what the appropriate response is if we have multiple positive tests.”

Do the Bruins win the Presidents’ Trophy?

Bettman: “I think that’s a fair assumption on your part.”

What has been the hardest part of the lockdown on the league, and on you?

Bettman: “We’re, by nature, socially interactive people. This is a socially interactive society, and the separation and the lack of normalcy and the illness and death, the unemployment — this is just a calamity on every level.”

How will the league figure out where to play?

Bettman: “We’re looking at a number of cities — we need a modern state-of-the-art building, one of ours. It has to be in a place that doesn’t have a lot of COVID-19, and there has to be an availability of testing in numerous quantities that won’t affect the medical needs of that community.”

When is the earliest we can see a game?

Bettman: “Perhaps in July we’ll be in a position to open training camps and then get ready to resume competition. Everything we’re doing is focused on the health and well-being of our players, our other personnel, and the communities in which we play, so there isn’t a rush.”

Will fans attend the games?

Bettman: “I think it would be pretty unlikely. Based on everything we know … we’ll be concluding the 19-20 season in buildings without fans. I wish it would be to the contrary, but I think that’s the reality of what we’re focused on.”

How will the 2020-21 season be affected by this new plan?

Bettman: “Next season’s start date, I think, in light of everything that’s going on, can be fluid — if we’re going to be playing over the summer and into the fall, I don’t think there’s any magic in starting in October. We can start in November, we can start in December. I think we can be flexible, and we intend to be.”

What do you think about people booing you?

Bettman: “They do that? Since when?”

Bettman also held a Q&A session along with deputy commissioner Bill Daly for members of the media on Tuesday. Here are a few items covered in the session that didn’t come up in the fan Q&A:

Will Canada’s mandate for a two-week quarantine when entering the country affect whether a Canadian city is chosen as a hub city?

Bill Daly: “If we’re not able to (change) the interpretation of the quarantine consistent with our players’ ability to travel in and not have to do a strict self-quarantine in a hotel room, we won’t be in a position to use any of the Canadian cities as a hub city. So we’re faced with having to find a solution to that. Hopefully we can.”

What will be the process be for testing, and how many tests will be needed?

Bettman: “If you’re looking for a number, we could be doing 25,000-30,000 tests. … And our medical advisers and some of the attendant medical advisers tell us that by the time we’re doing this over the summer that will be a relatively insignificant number of tests relative to the number of tests that will be available.”

What went into the decision to wait until after the season is completed to hold the 2020 NHL Draft?

Daly: “…We brought (the option of an early draft) to the clubs and there was not a strong consensus one way or the other, quite frankly, on whether we should do it. And, certainly, the people who were opposed to it felt strongly about being opposed to it. Some of the factors, probably the most significant one we gave the most weight to, was the lack of the ability to use the draft as an opportunity, as a jumping-off place for forming your next year’s roster, resetting in the off-season like many clubs do, the inability to have a trade associated with active players in and around the draft.”

Will players who signed contracts after the season was paused on March 12 be eligible to play this season?

Daly: “This is something that we’re going to have to ultimately resolve with the (NHL) Players’ Association like so many other contractual issues, but the league’s position right now and our position with our clubs since the start of the pause is no club is entitled to sign (a player to) a current-year contract. They are free to sign future-year contracts, so for the 2020-21 season and beyond (that’s) perfectly fair game. But it would be our position, particularly given the advanced date and given the fact that a lot of the players might now be able to play the balance of the season, it may be unfair to let them play the balance of the season.”

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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November 8, 2024

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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.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

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.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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November 8, 2024

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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.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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November 8, 2024

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

—

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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