The season's final quarter is really interesting. The Western Conference is kind of crazy with so much on the bubble. It's quite possible that Boston and Tampa Bay will meet in the early rounds and knock each other out. So many Canadian teams are probably going to make the playoffs?!
Met Shane Doan a couple weeks ago. His son plays for the Chicago Steel. He took a picture with my kids. Great guy!
Uh oh. Columbus is playing to an empty stadium. The NHL shares a lot of arenas with NBA teams. The NBA just suspended the season.
They apparently do have an announcement coming tomorrow, so get ready, this season is probably toast.
NHL suspended..... https://nypost.com/2020/03/12/nhl-s...medium=site buttons&utm_campaign=site buttons
Was debating going to Pittsburgh next month for the Rangers/Pens game, but now that decision is made for me.
Well, suspended does mean there's a chance they will either resume the season, or just start the playoffs. Which would kind of be awful because my Canucks are one game out of a wild card spot.
It does suck for those teams. Rangers were getting hot and the Islanders were shitting the bed hard. Oh well.
The regular season was due to end the weekend before Easter, and that's about 4 weeks away. I'd kind of enjoy a league-wide bracketed playoff, like March Madness, actually. Take the regular season out of it, play one game to decide it, and see what happens.
I'm on the fence about that, but wouldn't be against it. I'd be fine with Playoffs with current standing right now. Rangers have two 1st rounders and not like they're gonna win it all. Everyone knows the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season (Looking at you Lightning!) So the only thing I'd be against is awarding the Cup based on current standings as some proposed.
The problem is that the last four weeks of the season are always more interesting than the first four months of the season. Playoff hockey is a completely different game, it seems (more risk, more reward!). They could award the President's Trophy off of current standings, but I doubt they can award the Cup.
I have read the season restart this summer and start the 20-21 season in November. If it happens, the arenas better have the AC on full blast during the hot days.
Not really, maybe in FLA, but most don't need to. Not even in CA. Also, it's not so much the heat, it's the humidity that affects the ice. Solving Humidity Problems in Ice Rinks Not really a source because this: NHL expected to resume regular season in July is countered with others saying it won't.
Huh. Maybe it's not so crazy. Mackenzie and Lebrun are relatively well connected. Insider Trading from TSN is usually a pretty good source. That said, yes, you can expect ice conditions to be an interesting variable. Humidity, for one, will be a factor in some venues. IIRC, a lot of those venues also undergo maintenance during that period of time in their icemaking equipment. Unless they're doing it now (would they be considered an essential service?), that is.
Who knows at this point, but I'm considering this season done. Selfishness I know bc the Rangers weren't going to go all the way and the Canes and Jackets are healing in the break to keep their standings. But NHL is the summer would be great for away games for me to visit. Kids have no school so that helps. We'll see.
There's lots out there on the effects of humidity on ice rinks: Condensation Prevention Control Systems for Ice Skating Arenas - Bry Air
