KHL salary cap coming for 2020-21 … well maybe
Aivis Kalnins: The KHL is going to be implementing a salary cap for the 2020-21 season. Free agency is about to get underway and there are already several teams that are way over the salary cap.
The Board of Directors are going to be meeting today.
Aivis Kalnins: The richer teams in the league have ready requested to raise the salary cap ceiling by 50 percent.
The teams that are not as financially strong are worried that they may not be able to meet the salary floor.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if they delay the salary cap to 2021-22.
Seattle getting closer to naming team
Greg Wyshynski: Seattle is “getting close” to deciding on their name, color and logo.
“We’re still going through the legal process, led by the league,” said Katie Townsend, VP of communications. “Then it’s just making sure we’re sensitive to the community. We don’t want to be tone deaf. We want to make sure the mood is right.”
Return to Play Committee issues a statement
NHL Media: The NHL/NHLPA’s Return to Play Committee met yesterday and issue the statement:
“Despite numerous reports and speculation over the last several days, the NHL and the NHLPA have not made any decisions or set a timeline for possible return to play scenarios.
Given recent developments in some NHL Clubs’ local communities, we are now looking ahead to a Phase 2 of the transition period that would follow the currently recommended Phase 1 period of “self-quarantine” by Players and Hockey Staff.
The precise date of transition to Phase 2, during which Players might return to small group activities in NHL Club training facilities, remains undetermined. However, provided that conditions continue to trend favorably – and, subject to potential competitive concerns as between disparately situated markets – we believe we may be able to move to Phase 2 at some point in the mid-to-later portion of May. Specific guidelines governing Player and Hockey Staff activity would be provided at that time. In the meantime, we expect Players and Hockey Staff to continue to adhere to the recommended guidelines put in place when the season was paused on March 12.”
Frank Seravalli of TSN: The NHL sent a memo to players which noted that those who are not staying outside their team’s city, may want to consider returning as they will have to quarantine for 14 days when they return.
Players in Europe may not be able to fly out or in. The Canada-US border is closed to non-essential travel. Some Europeans may not be able to fly out until June.
There are four phases (players in self-isolation” is phase one). “After Phase 2, which includes players training in small groups at team facilities, Phase 3 involves the opening of training camps, and Phase 4 would mark the return to game play.”
