2019-2020 Washington Capitals

[1995hoo]

Looks like the NHL is moving forward with a plan for a 24 team playoff.  Top four teams in each conference get a bye of sorts for runs one but would play some games against each other.  Two hub cities.  Not sure which ones are under consideration.  NHLPA Board is voting on it. 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-whats-holding-nhl-playoffs-proposal/

I've seen Las Vegas and Toronto mentioned as cities several times. Las Vegas has a couple of available rinks other than the Golden Knights' arena. I can't help but wonder what the ice would be like, though. The ice at Verizon gets bad enough in May in a normal year (this year would have been the exception due to the cool weather), so I wonder how an arena in the middle of the desert would do in July and August.

[HalfSmokes]

I've seen Las Vegas and Toronto mentioned as cities several times. Las Vegas has a couple of available rinks other than the Golden Knights' arena. I can't help but wonder what the ice would be like, though. The ice at Verizon gets bad enough in May in a normal year (this year would have been the exception due to the cool weather), so I wonder how an arena in the middle of the desert would do in July and August.

if they choose Toronto, they better hope American's can travel to Canada by then

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/05/14/news/canada-wants-extend-us-travel-ban

[Natsinpwc]

if they choose Toronto, they better hope American's can travel to Canada by then

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/05/14/news/canada-wants-extend-us-travel-ban

Yea, it's hard to see them in a Canadian city.  I guess the issue is which cities have multiple rinks.  And probably away from the northeast where the biggest breakouts have been. 

[1995hoo]

if they choose Toronto, they better hope American's can travel to Canada by then

https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/05/14/news/canada-wants-extend-us-travel-ban

They might consider that essential to allow team personnel across the border. The NHL has a lot of pull with both countries' immigration authorities (consider how back when the Caps hired Dale Hunter as coach, he had a work visa within hours). The guy who runs the Aroostook Valley Country Club in New Brunswick is allowed to cross the border—the golf club's parking lot is in Maine, but the course itself is in New Brunswick, and the only way to reach it by road is to go through Maine. The guy who runs it lives in New Brunswick and so has to cross the border every day and both governments agreed to allow him to cross. The club's Canadian members are not allowed through Customs, though, so unless they bushwhack across various fields and through the woods or fly in by helicopter and land on the golf course, they're unable to play.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Aroostook+Valley+Country+Club/@46.800129,-67.7875845,742m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x4cbcb51dd578827d:0xd13267abc662a485!8m2!3d46.8002027!4d-67.790728

[HalfSmokes]

Yea, it's hard to see them in a Canadian city.  I guess the issue is which cities have multiple rinks.  And probably away from the northeast where the biggest breakouts have been. 

I would think like with the NBA, Vegas and Orlando/Disney both make the most sense- huge amount of basically empty hotels easily connected to arenas (does Disney have the ability to create hockey ice though?)

[Natsinpwc]

I would think like with the NBA, Vegas and Orlando/Disney both make the most sense- huge amount of basically empty hotels easily connected to arenas (does Disney have the ability to create hockey ice though?)

The Disney hotels are nowhere near the downtown Orlando arena--not sure if there are other arenas near Disney.

I don't think NHL and NBA could be in the same cities if they are going to share arenas?

[HalfSmokes]

does Disney have onsite facilities that could be converted. They probably can't be in the same city, so one get one the other gets the other? Personally, I wonder if an empty rural university would be an option - players would have to deal with dorms, but you'd be pretty isolated

[OldChelsea]

The Disney hotels are nowhere near the downtown Orlando arena[...]

In fact Disney World itself is not in Orange county (which contains Orlando) but in Osceola county, quite some way to the south.

[Natsinpwc]

does Disney have onsite facilities that could be converted. They probably can't be in the same city, so one get one the other gets the other? Personally, I wonder if an empty rural university would be an option - players would have to deal with dorms, but you'd be pretty isolated

UCF is not too far from the Orlando arena.  It’s Florida though so they are probably planning for on campus classes starting August.

[varoadking]

In fact Disney World itself is not in Orange county (which contains Orlando) but in Osceola county, quite some way to the south.

Most of the Park is in southwest Orange County...but there is some in Osceola County as well...

[varoadking]

Ovi is now officially a co-Rocket Richard winner for 2019-2020 (his 9th - the most by any player in NHL history, as it was before this one) with the termination of the season now official... 

2019-2020 Stanley Cup playoffs do remain planned...as stupid as that may be...

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/

[UMDNats]

Ovechkin has now lost 1.5 seasons to lockout (if you count 04-05, which would have been his rookie year) and another 20 games lost due to COVID. Can we rule out 99 conspiring to keep him off his record?

[Natsinpwc]

Ovi is now officially a co-Rocket Richard winner for 2019-2020 (his 9th - the most by any player in NHL history, as it was before this one) with the termination of the season now official... 

2019-2020 Stanley Cup playoffs do remain planned...as stupid as that may be...

https://russianmachineneverbreaks.com/

Makes sense to me to have playoffs when you have played almost all the season. They were likely going to push back the start of next season anyway.  And no fans. We can get used to it this way. 

[varoadking]

Makes sense to me to have playoffs when you have played almost all the season. They were likely going to push back the start of next season anyway.  And no fans. We can get used to it this way.

I would normally agree if we weren't dealing with Covid-19.  No good will come of this if people get ill and jeopardize their health, or their life...not to mention their career...

[Natsinpwc]

I would normally agree if we weren't dealing with Covid-19.  No good will come of this if people get ill and jeopardize their health, or their life...not to mention their career...

Nothing will be 100 percent safe but hopefully they can build ion enough protocols to make it close to that. Sounds like they will play in two cities. And Pittsburgh is one of the options. 

[Slateman]

Two years

[1995hoo]

Two years

Happy Cup-iversary.

Yesterday I swapped out our US flag out front in favor of our Cup champs flag. May leave it up all week since the parade was on June 12.

[varoadking]

Watching Game 5 of the 2018 SC Final again...one of those events that you will never forget where you were when you saw it...

[Natsinpwc]

Watching Game 5 of the 2018 SC Final again...one of those events that you will never forget where you were when you saw it...

Some bar around the corner in Cincy with old TVs.  And know one knew anything about hockey.

[varoadking]

Some bar around the corner in Cincy with old TVs.  And know one knew anything about hockey.

Bar at the Tin Lizzie Hotel Casino in Deadwood, South Dakota.  Bartender turned all 11 TV's in the place to the game for me, and of the 6 of us in the bar, 5 of us were rockin' the red...

He charged me $14 and change for 6 beers and a corned beef sandwich.  He was tipped well...

I was takin' a leak when DSP scored...but I didn't miss Tiger's game winner...

[Natsinpwc]

Bar at the Tin Lizzie Hotel Casino in Deadwood, South Dakota.  Bartender turned all 11 TV's in the place to the game for me, and of the 6 of us in the bar, 5 of us were rockin' the red...

He charged me $14 and change for 6 beers and a corned beef sandwich.  He was tipped well...

I was takin' a leak when DSP scored...but I didn't miss Tiger's game winner...

That’s right.  You were in vacation. Place I was in doesn’t have food. Unless you count bags of chips and pretzels they sell.  Only takes cash.  I wonder if it has survived the pandemic. 

[varoadking]

That’s right.  You were in vacation. Place I was in doesn’t have food. Unless you count bags of chips and pretzels they sell.  Only takes cash.  I wonder if it has survived the pandemic.

You have to hope so...places like that are a vanishing breed...

[Natsinpwc]

You have to hope so...places like that are a vanishing breed...

The whole area was redeveloped including an office building, our apartment building and restaurants and such.  Except for that place and another bar nearby and a couple old stores in between.  It's inevitable someone will buy them out and knock it all down. 

[varoadking]

I will never tire of seeing Ovi hoist the Cup...

[Natsinpwc]

Caps return to the ice August 3. Games also on August 6 and 8. First round starts August 11.

https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/nhl-restart-schedule-capitals-return-ice-aug-3-against-lightning%3famp