Hockey Discussion Thread/News 2021

To DW's credit, he did try to sign that MTL franchise goalie. But then followed that up with signing Niemi (God how I wish Chi would have let Hjarm walk instead). So his credit goes back into the negative lol. 

I wouldn't take a goalie at the top of the 1st round, that position is just too hard to predict. I would spend a high 2nd rounder but it doesn't matter because SJ doesn't have one this year haha.

NEW YORK (June 28, 2021) – The National Hockey League has prioritized the health and safety of its Players, staff and communities while staging nearly 1,100 games since pausing the 2019-20 season on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following is an overview of the past 473 days:

Supporting Community: The NHL and its Clubs have contributed and raised millions of dollars for our communities for many causes during the pandemic.

On the Ice: The NHL has staged 1,077 games over the last 11 months, from Aug. 1, 2020, through the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals.

COVID-19 Impact:



Total number of COVID tests administrated to Players and staff: 350,000+
Total number of team shutdowns: 12
Total number of games postponed: 55
Total number of games rescheduled: 132
Total number of Players on COVID list: 217
Total number of Players with confirmed positives: 119
Highest single-day total on COVID list: 59 (Feb. 12)
Lowest single-day total on COVID list: 0 (first achieved on May 24 – 132 days after season start)
COVID Protocols: 12 COVID Protocols adopted for 2020-21 season with more than two dozen updates/enhancements since Jan. 13


Back to Business: Despite the pandemic, the League successfully negotiated a four-year CBA extension, two new U.S. media rights deals (ESPN & Turner), and 12 new or renewed international broadcast agreements covering more than 100 countries/territories; signed 17 new corporate partners and nine corporate partner renewals; and designed new branding assets for Clubs.

Diversity & Inclusion: The NHL has engaged in several efforts to improve and promote diversity and inclusion across the League and at the grassroots level, including:



Principles of inclusion learning experience for active Players
Co-developing inclusion-based tools, trainings and resources for youth hockey players and parents
Building programs to hire and develop diverse talent
Re-establishing a fan code of conduct
Launching a multicultural marketing unit
Investing $5 million over the next 18 months
NEW YORK (June 28, 2021) – National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman announced today a new $5 million investment over the next 18 months to strengthen the League through diversity and inclusion efforts.

“We believe we are a higher performing League when we have an inclusive culture that harnesses the power of diversity,” said Commissioner Bettman. “Now, equipped with the learnings and recommendations of our Player, Fan and Youth Hockey Inclusion Committees, we are taking the next step to bring real, positive, systemic change to the game. While this work takes time and diligence, because it is predicated on relationships and authenticity through action, we know the lasting value this work will have for our Clubs, the Players, fans, employees, business partners and everyone else who makes up the hockey community.”

Following are some of the areas that will be the focus of this new investment:



Inclusion Education & Learning Experiences: Expert-led conversations across critical stakeholder groups – tailored for all active Players, Officials and League employees – focused on enhancing individual and team performance through principles of inclusion. The experiential programming aims to improve consciousness of implicit bias and form new cultural understanding. Follow-up resources will be available to continue growth as inclusive leaders. Inclusion experiences will also be enhanced within the Rookie Orientation Program.


Workforce and Economic Diversity: To align with the normalization of League-wide staff changes, the NHL is undertaking a comprehensive survey of workforce demographics across dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender identity and beyond. The data will be used to advocate for and represent the diversity that exists within the League, create employee resources that encourage a deeper sense of belonging, and build programs that actively recruit, hire and develop diverse talent. The League will also embark on collecting economic diversity data to better understand the ways in which it does business with diverse vendors, suppliers and partners – with the goal of creating new networks, relationships and opportunities that enhance League performance and sustainability.


Multicultural Marketing: The launch of a multicultural marketing unit within the League will focus on normalizing female and BIPOC voices, faces and perspectives within the game, while bringing deeper levels of multicultural content year-round, with the support and creativity of diverse storytellers, influencers and creators.


Fan Code of Conduct: The League will examine and reestablish a Fan Code of Conduct, governing League-wide in-arena experiences, particularly addressing racist, homophobic and other discriminatory language or behavior, to ensure NHL arenas are consistently providing a safe and welcoming environment for all people.


Youth and Amateur Hockey: The League will co-develop inclusion-based tools, trainings and resources for youth hockey players, parents and volunteers to bring about a shared understanding of inclusion principles. The League will strategically support capacity-building initiatives with youth and amateur hockey organizations that intentionally introduce the sport to BIPOC individuals. The League is also exploring program designs for a new era in street and ball hockey, to improve the cultural availability of the game, and increase opportunities to play the sport in neighborhoods lacking traditional access.


This investment is in addition to the ongoing efforts across the League and 32 Clubs, many of which have been launched in recent months across dimensions of leadership, education, employment, marketing, partnerships, participation and community and civic engagement. Examples include, the Toronto Maple Leafs Management and Coaching Development Program, which offers paid contract positions to Black or Indigenous candidates (or those who identify as part of another marginalized and/or racialized group); the Pittsburgh Penguins’ development of the Willie O’Ree Academy, which offers tailored training and enrichment for local Black youth hockey players; and the Vegas Golden Knights’ ball hockey program in partnership with Ryan Reaves, which will build a ball hockey rink and sustain programming for the James Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada.

Progress has been realized through the establishment of employee resource groups; the launch of numerous BIPOC development, fellowship and mentoring programs; expert-led internal inclusion experiences for leadership and staff; a League-wide hotline to report unethical behavior and misconduct; the launch of hockey programs that increase opportunities for girls and BIPOC youth; and more.

A more complete, aggregated report updating League-wide inclusion investments and initiatives will be made available at the start of the 2021-22 season.

The truth comes out:

The Sharks haven't made the playoffs since the 2018-19 season, and finished second-to-last in the Honda West Division this past year. Despite the recent struggles, Sharks president Jonathan Becher doubled down on the organization's public stance that a rebuild is not in the cards.

"Yeah I'll reiterate what Doug has said, our owner, (Sharks general manager Doug Wilson) Doug, myself, that's not something we wanna live through," Becher told reporters Monday during a virtual press conference. "It'd be hard for me to sell a three-year season ticket plan to someone and say 'we plan not to be good for the next three to four years.' "

Wilson laid out his expectations for next season in May, indicating that he expects the Sharks to return to contention in 2021-22.

"I expect this to be a very good hockey team," Wilson said (h/t Associated Press). "I expect a team every year to compete for the playoffs. If we add the right things, players get back in their cycle, they're able to do that. I think we'll be a very good team next year. I really do."

As San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng pointed out a few months ago, this past season marked just the third time in franchise history that the Sharks have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, and the first time in 24 years.

The Sharks have a number of veterans with contracts that extend three to four years into the future, contracts that could be difficult to offload without surrendering draft picks that would be integral to kickstarting a rebuild.

Rebuilds are difficult to sell to fans, especially teams that struggle to maintain a foothold of support in a market.

The Sharks' top brass appear to be in agreement that rebuilding isn't an option, but after a last-place finish in the Western Conference in 2019-20 and not much improvement last season, changes will need to be made this offseason.

However, a majority of the current roster also helped lead the Sharks to the Western Conference Finals in 2018-19.

Wilson and the front office currently have $10.3 million in cap space (per CapFriendly) and eight draft picks, including the seventh overall pick, in their possession.

The pressure is on to avoid what never has happened in franchise history: three consecutive years without a playoff appearance.

I've become to jaded for this job

Well on the plus side, no Pierre!

We are saved.

Bettman now has a head shake when he speaks. Could be early sign of some illness. Not rooting for that just an observation.

Humm.. No roster spot for Jeremy Roenick on the ESPN talking heads team? 

must still be serving time in the Kathryn Tappen PC penalty box..

Well as a commish, has he ever been right?! HEY OH!

A change in management would sure make a difference