Why the NHL is interested in completing regular season games
Matthew Sekeres: (twitter thread) “My understanding on why the #NHL is still considering completion of the regular season despite the fact it is roughly 85% complete & time will be of the essence in any re-start:
Twelve U.S.-based clubs have Fox regional TV deals & those deals stipulate that regular season games ….”
… must be completed. Failure to do so comes with a severe penalty: the deals roll over to next season at no cost to Fox. So, those teams would face no regional TV revenue, which would in turn hurt hockey-related revenue (HRR) for the whole league.”
“It’s unclear whether the league is willing to negotiate with Fox on behalf of those clubs to find an omnibus solution, or if it will simply surrender to those terms and prioritize finishing the reg season to secure future revenues.”
“Teams with regional Fox TV deals: CAR, CBJ, DET, FLA, TB, ANA, ARZ, DAL, LA, MIN, NSH, STL.”
Laraque on having COVID-19
William Douglas of NHL.com: Former NHL player George Laraque tested positive on Thursday for COVID-19 and is in a hospital.
“It’s so crazy because I was running six days a week, 10 kilometers a day to get ready for a marathon; I was doing that for months,” Laraque said. “Now, after the COVID attacked my lungs, I can’t even get up to go brush my teeth without struggling.
“It’s the worst thing ever. It takes all my energy just to get up.”
Hub criteria, and no for San Jose
Ryan Rishaug: The NHL has a lengthy document of criteria for potential ‘hub’ cities that would have to be met to host games.
Teams, the NHL, and regional health authorities would work together, and the Government would need to get involved at some point as well.
Kevin Kurz: San Jose is not one of the cities that could potentially be a hub city for games.
Injured Finger for Thornton?
Um … broken index finger??? https://t.co/Jx5SFPp5rD
— Ross McKeon (@rossmckeon) May 2, 2020
Um … broken index finger??? https://t.co/Jx5SFPp5rD
— Ross McKeon (@rossmckeon) May 2, 2020