The NHL is preparing for hockey in August as the league has requested the availability of all 31 teams’ home dates for the month of August.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Pierre LeBrun, and Frank Seravalli discussed some jarring NHL news on Tuesday. TSN is reporting that the NHL is asking teams to send home ice availability for the month of August.
There is plenty of uncertainty regarding when or if the NHL can resume the season and the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The NHL appears prepared to extend the 2019-20 season through the summer in order to award the Stanley Cup.
A summer playoff could create problems with the ice due to excessive heat and humidity in some NHL cities. The owners and league would have higher expenses running air conditioning in the arenas and the refrigeration chillers to keep the ice at the proper temperature.
The league did announce on Tuesday that the player quarantine scheduled to end on Friday, March 27 was extended 10 additional days. This means the players still cannot participate in small group practices.
The NHL is still eager to complete the season due to the financial ramifications. Every sports league is losing money with each passing day and the NHL is no different.
The hockey insiders with TSN also talked about the ramifications the hiatus could have on player contracts. An extension of the season beyond June 30 would mean every player’s contract would have to be extended through the end of this season. Work visas would also need to be extended and free agency would have to start later in the summer.