Winnipeg a long shot to be a host city if NHL resumes Minneapolis-St. Paul emerging as regional favourite if NHL returns this season By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 12:03 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020 Last Modified: 7:04 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 23, 2020 Updates

At first it seemed to be nothing more than wishful thinking, a delusional long shot at best. But hope really does spring eternal, and that sound you hear is growing chatter that the 2019-20 NHL season may indeed live to see another day.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*No charge for 4 weeks then billed as $19 every four weeks (new subscribers and qualified returning subscribers only). Cancel anytime.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/04/2020 (1611 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Don’t just take my word that we could be on the verge of a truly unique summer of puck, a sentiment I’ve been hearing more and more in recent days from various sources around the league. Commissioner Gary Bettman got gums flapping and tongues wagging Wednesday night when he revealed the league is exploring a unique return-to-play scenario in which all 31 teams would be centralized in as many as four existing NHL markets, perhaps one from each division.

Winnipeg is not expected to be one of them, with Minneapolis-St. Paul emerging as the regional favourite in that department.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league is exploring a return-to-play scenario in which all 31 teams would be centralized in as many as four existing markets. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images files)

With seven or eight teams housed in each location, multiple games would be held daily in each venue without fans as a means of finishing out the regular season, which had just over three weeks remaining when the league paused in mid-March due to the global pandemic. This would greatly reduce the amount of travel required, while also avoiding densely populated hot spots such as New York, where coronavirus numbers are still sky high.

Let’s use the 37-28-6 Winnipeg Jets as an example. Under this proposed scenario, seven of Winnipeg’s games could be played in their host venue — their four remaining “home” games and three “road” games against Central Division rivals who would be in the same city. The other four road games, all against Pacific Division teams, could be held in whatever city those squads were based out of.

This would mean only needing to bounce between two different locales, instead of the seven that would be required under their normal schedule (home games in Winnipeg, then two road games in Calgary, and one each in Vancouver, Dallas, Nashville, Colorado and Arizona). Most NHL teams would be in a similar situation, since the majority of games down the stretch are against divisional and conference opponents.

The regular season would end in July, with traditional playoffs beginning in August and running through September. That would allow for a full 2020-21 season to begin around November, following a very hectic and abbreviated “off-season” in October. Whether that could include fans if a vaccine still hasn’t been developed and approved by then remains unlikely at this point.

Make no mistake: As much as this will be framed as trying to help get life back to normal, it all boils down to cold, hard cash. As in the forecasted US$1 billion in lost revenue if the 2019-20 season can’t be concluded, which would have a major trickle-down impact on the entire league, including the future salary cap and player contracts.

There’s a lot at stake, including throwing a lifeline to the league’s broadcast partners starving for fresh content, which is why talk is heating up to find a solution to get back on the ice. The fact several cities, provinces and states are starting to discuss how they plan to slowly reopen and boost the economy is also fuelling that optimism.

At first blush, Winnipeg would seem to be an ideal location for teams to come play, with a low rate of infection and mostly flattened curve, in addition to NHL-ready infrastructures such as Bell MTS Place for games and Bell MTS Iceplex for practices.

However, multiple reports from NHL insiders suggest the Twin Cities would be the likely Central Division base. A Jets source told the Free Press on Thursday that Winnipeg would be a long shot at best at this point, although the situation remains fluid and nothing is set in stone. The biggest hurdle, it appears, would be enough hotel rooms to house as many as seven teams at once, in addition to all the other league staff, broadcasters and media.

No matter where teams play if the NHL returns, there won't be any fans in the stands to cheer them on. (John Woods Winnipeg Free Press files)

Don’t forget, these athletes have pretty high — some might say snobby — standards when it comes to where they stay. I’d suggest they may want to lower them given the situation, but don’t hold your breath on that happening. Build a JW Marriott in downtown Winnipeg and then we’re talking.

Numerous issues would first have to be addressed for this to fly, including getting all players back in North America, then ensuring all are carefully screened and monitored for coronavirus to ensure there’s no risk. One infection would bring it all to a screeching, every expensive halt. Ultimately, the NHL is at the mercy of others to give them the green light.

“All of this is contingent, nothing has been decided,” Bettman told Ron MacLean in his interview Wednesday. “The decision ultimately will be made by medical people and people who run governments at all different levels. We’re not going to try to do anything that flies in the face of what we’re being told is appropriate.”

An exploratory process on potential hosts is already underway, with Bettman calling Alberta premier Jason Kenney earlier this week to talk about Edmonton, which has it’s shiny new Ice District next to Rogers Place and including ample luxury hotel rooms. Glendale in the Pacific, Dallas in the Central, Raleigh and Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan and Toronto in the Atlantic are other locales that have been mentioned.

One thing that is off the table are neutral-site locations, such as Grand Forks, N.D., and Saskatoon, Sask., which had been previously explored but is now ruled out.

“Minneapolis would work pretty well for me. It’s only three hours south (from Duluth), so I’m in favour of that,” Jets defenceman Neal Pionk said Thursday in a Zoom call with media. The Minnesota native is currently hunkered down at his off-season home along with his girlfriend and one of his brothers.

“If it works out — obviously safety is the first priority, as far as local governments or state governments or provincial governments — as long as they allow that and the public is healthy, I would be in favour of playing in a centralized location without fans,” said Pionk.

“There are so many scenarios out there, we would have to nail down which one we’re talking about. But as far as playing in an empty venue to declare a Cup champion, I would be in favour. With the way we were playing at the end of the year, hopefully, we can carry that momentum if and when things pick back up.”

"There are so many scenarios out there, we would have to nail down which one we're talking about," Neal Pionk said in a conference call.

As unlikely as it once seemed, they may yet get that opportunity in what would be a summer like no other.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg

Passing time with Pionk

In addition to discussing the potential of NHL games resuming in his own backyard, Winnipeg Jets defenceman Neal Pionk shared his thoughts Thursday on a number of other topics during his Zoom chat with media.
On being off skates for so long:

“Usually after every season, I’ll take probably six to eight weeks off without touching my skates. I think we’re at a month now, so we’re creeping up to that six-to-eight-week mark. It’ll be a little weird, too, if it keeps going. To stay active, I’ve just been doing in-home workouts, workouts that are recommended by our strength coach, as much as I can. I don’t have a gym here but do have plenty of space, so I’ve been doing some in-home workouts to stay busy.”

On what he’s been watching on television:

“Tiger King. It’s turned into one of our favourite shows. I think it’s pretty interesting. It’s pretty crazy, too. It’s been a good watch for us.”

On staying in touch with teammates:

“We did a Zoom call last week. Other than that, occasional texts, Snapchat and just checking in with guys. We’ve been staying in pretty consistent touch with each other.”

On getting lots of yardwork done:

“Currently there’s a barn being built. I’m certainly not building the barn. That’s something I wanted to get done. Then there are a couple of other things as far as trees, down to the lakeside. I live on a lake, so we’re trimming up the lakeside. It’s the little stuff, like blowing leaves out of the yard from the winter and all that stuff here. We have a lot of time on our hands now, so we’re able to get that done.”

On his favourite game from this season:

“It had to be when we were down 4-0 in New Jersey and came back to win in the shootout. I remember texting my parents after the game, saying that’s the most fun I’ve had playing hockey in a long time. Coming down from four goals in youth hockey’s a big deal, let alone the NHL.”

On fellow Hermantown native Dylan Samberg signing with the Jets:

“I’m really pumped for him. I’ve known him my whole life just because I have three younger brothers. In a small community like Hermantown, everyone pretty much knows everyone. I think Dylan played with at least two of my younger brothers for at least a year or two. Hermantown is a town of about 10,000 people and there’s only been a couple of guys playing in the NHL from Hermantown. So the fact that there’s a potential of two former Hermantown defencemen to be on the same blue-line, I think that’s got to make it the (community) favourite.”

On his picks for NHL year-end awards:

Hart: I know Mika Zibanejad (New York Rangers centre) was hurt a bit, but if you look at his stat line, I think it was just incredible what he did. And just knowing him and playing with him for a little over a year, he does it all. He plays both sides of the puck. He had a ridiculous amount of goals in not as many games as the other guys. Will he win it? I’m not sure. But I think that would be my underdog vote.”

Norris: “I’d say Roman Josi (Nashville Predators defenceman).”

Vezina: “Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets goaltender). No questions asked.”