The pandemic made them do it.
Advertising on helmets? The pandemic made the NHL do it.
Besmirching the sweater and cheapening the logo while enriching the bottom line by selling advertising patches on jerseys? The pandemic made the NHL do it.
I know, you don’t have to tell me because Deputy Bill Daly has already told everyone that, “It is not the end of the world,” in myriad interviews.
Of course, nothing is the end of the world except for, literally, the end of the world. But had my 13-year-old self told my mom that the 67 I got in my first chemistry exam at Bronx Science was not “the end of the world,” I’m not so sure she’d have played along the way we are supposed to be with Daly and the Merchants of Manhattan.
(Fact is, she didn’t!)
Yes, I know, the ad money — Don’t you love how teams attempt to spin these sponsors as “patch partners,” or whatever other equally foolish euphemism they can find — will boost the salary cap, but there is that whole pesky means. -and-end thing to consider.
Does every swatch of space in our lives have to be sold off to the highest corporate bidder just because it can? Is it possible that the uniform, even if it is only laundry, could remain sacrosanct?
The pandemic made them do it.
The NHL instituted these measures in order to help owners compensate for the massive shortfall in revenue created by COVID-19. Now it is time for the NHL, in conjunction with the NHLPA, to address the flat cap created by the pandemic that is strangling more than a third of the league.
It was Mickey Mouse Time in Edmonton on Wednesday when the Oilers took the ice one man short, with a 17-plus-two lineup, because of flat cap issues created by COVID-19. And this will not be unique to this club this time. This is the stuff of garage leagues.
Teams that plotted their business responsibly while anticipating an annual increase to the cap have been cut off at the knees by terms of a CBA extension forged in a time of economic — and psychological — duress.
As of Saturday, according to CapFriendly, five teams had zero cap space with another six owning space of less than $250,000, all an injury or two away from calamity. That represents more than a third of the league. Thirteen teams are dipping into Long Term Injury replenishment.
And the system is going to be under more stress next year when the cap will increase by only $1 million as prescribed by the CBA. The system will burst at the seams if not addressed. And there is no reason not to address this immediately. If the league can sell out on uniforms to help owners’ bottom lines, surely it can make adjustments to the CBA that would help teams’ forward and blue lines.
Here’s how: The NHL has projected that the cap will increase approximately $9.5 million from this year’s $82.5M to $92M in 2025-26. This anticipates a $1M increase next year, a $4M-$4.5M increase the following season, and another $4M-$4.5M increase for 2025-26.
Instead of applying that formula, the league (with advise and consent provided by the PA) should divide the three-year $9.5M increase equally, starting with 2023-24. Thus, a $3.15M increase for each of the next three seasons that could be adjusted in concert with revenue projections.
Why not? I cannot conceive of a single legitimate argument against issuing this modicum of relief to teams next season. If an owner or two pipes up, the folks on Ninth Avenue can just say that the pandemic made them do it.
After all, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Would it surprise you to know that many of the most ardent Devils fans out there are hoping for something like a 3-7-2 start so Lindy Ruff will be fired as head coach and the club can move on with newly hired associate coach Andrew Brunette. Running the show?
Or would that not surprise you at all?
It seems less than ideal that of the eight players on the PA search committee for Don Fehr’s replacement, Jacob Trouba is the youngest and he is 28. Six are between 32-34.
I believe institutional knowledge is imperative, but in a league that is dominated by kids, was there no one among the 25-and-under crowd who had enough interest in this endeavor to volunteer? Or were the young’uns shunned?
Either way, not terribly impressive.
Derek Stepan, who apparently was not good enough to play in any of the Canes’ seven games against the Rangers in last year’s conference semis, made it into the opening night lineup about five months late.
And by the way, did you catch the Bruins and Caps on Wednesday on the AARP Game of the Week?
In recognition of Braden Schneider’s switch to No. 4, ranking the top five Blueshirts to wear the numeral: 1. Ron Greschner; 2. Bill Gadsby; 3. Kevin Lowe; 4. Alex Shibicky; 5. Arnie Brown. Honorable Mention: Michael Del Zotto; Mention: Junior Langlois; Dishonorable Mention: Kevin Hatcher.
Seriously, can you imagine sending Peter Popovic to Pittsburgh — say that three times, fast — for a 33-year-old Hatcher and somehow losing the trade?
Finally, with Mike Keenan on Friday named head coach of Italy’s national team in advance of the 2026 Olympics to be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, I wonder how long it will take him to reach out to, say, Denmark, to see if he can get a better deal.
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