Breaking news: A breakthrough for the 2021 season?
Late Monday night there was news that could mean New York Rangers hockey on January 13
Just when things were looking grim and fans of the New York Rangers were beginning to despair, Darren Drager of TSN tweeted out the following:
Sources say there will be no more discussions on proposed financial changes to the MOU outlining the terms of the CBA. Sunday the NHLPA proposed more deferred money, but didn’t include an increase in escrow percentage at any point. Focus now on a mid Jan start to season.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 8, 2020
What does it mean? It appears that the owners have backed off their proposal to change the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that accompanied an extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) back in the summer. It would appear that financials will not change and the focus will be on getting the 2021 season started.
Pierre LeBrun followed up with some clarification.
Both sides targeting Jan. 13 start to season in order to get 56-game sked but even with financials no longer an issue as @DarrenDreger first reported, still some work to be done on protocols, schedule, critical date, etc, plus subject to NHL BOG and NHLPA executive board approval https://t.co/ESSjY94Slt
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 8, 2020
So, now it looks like they are targeting a season to start on January 13 with a 56 game schedule.
One big if
The NHL Board of Governors (the owners) and the NHLPA (the players) will have to agree to this agreement on the finances. With some of the teams in dire financial straits and a report that some owners are in favor of not playing at all, getting approvals may be an issue.
As we’ve discussed before, the bulk of the revenue for owners are ticket sales and concessions and there is no way that there will be fans in seats as long as this second wave of COVID-19 is hammering Canada and the United States.
For some teams, the loss of revenue will never be offset and they feel they would be better off putting off the season until next fall. With the decision to move forward with no revision of the financials, that sentiment may gain some momentum. Nick Kypreos alluded to that in a tweet tonight.
Players feeling a huge moral victory not changing economic terms of CBA agreement moving forward. Understandably it’s not sitting well tonight with some team owners. Owners vote on return to play will be most interesting. @NHL @NHLPA @Line_Movement
— Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) December 8, 2020
Gary Bettman is intent on getting a season underway and there is no way the NHL won’t play a 2021 season. The question is whether some teams may choose to not participate and what would the ramifications be from that kind of action.
The ECHL has had a number of teams that won’t be participating, though the league is going ahead with a planned season. In the ECHL’s case, all players on non-playing teams were declared to be free agents. Of course, you don’t have the kind of long term contracts in the ECHL that you find in the NHL.
Another issue is whether the NHL bylaws will even allow a team to beg out of a season. It’s not very likely that it is even a possibility.
The news came down late on Monday night and there will no doubt be a lot of updates on Tuesday. Stay tuned.
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