NHLPA executive committee voting results should be made known later today
TSN: Pierre LeBrun said that the NHL could hear back from the NHLPA as early as Friday about the 24-team playoff format. The NHLPA executive board had a call Thursday night and they voted on the format.
“But, if and when there is an agreement on a format, and we’re obviously inching closer here, the National Hockey League is going to want to get that out there. They will want to make it official, even though there’s are all kinds of other issues that haven’t been figured out. What the NHL will not share, however, is when the games will resume exactly. They’re not ready to commit to dates yet. So when there’s an announcement, we’ll get the what, we won’t get the when.”
Sportsnet: The NHLPA executive board voted on the playoff proposal last night and results are expected sometime .
Sportsnet: There are still lots of details that would need to be worked out if the vote passes. They are just voting just on the playoff format.
Bob McKenzie: “It’s my understanding NHLPA conference call tonight was spirited if not raucous. While exec committee voting won’t be finalized until Friday, some believe Don Fehr may already have or will get the mandate to accept NHL RTP plan but not overwhelmingly so.”
- Bob McKenzie: “Which is to suggest that even if there are enough votes to pass, it may still be a tough call. Emotional issue, as one might expect. We should have more clarity in the next 24 hours.”
GMs don’t know much and not all like the format
TSN: Bob McKenzie said that NHL GMs don’t know much, but know a playoff format it’s coming. Some are only lukewarm on the playoff format proposal.
“Their No. 1 reason or complaint that I’ve heard from general managers is this format distances itself too much from the NHL regular season.”
Some GMs feel isn’t just a made for TV event, with Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers in the ‘playoffs’ for TV reasons. There are GMs who had hoped they would do away with bracketing and use re-seeding.
“And to use an example, the Montreal Canadiens, if they did knock the Pittsburgh Penguins off in that play-in round, they wouldn’t get the top seed in the East, they’d get the No. 4 seed in the East. And some teams think that is unfair.”