Here are my thoughts on seven sports items on a sultry summer Sunday.
1. We discussed the NHL participating in the 2018 Olympics on the Buzzcast last week. While the success or failure of the World Cup of Hockey next month may be a determining factor, the stage appears to be set for the NHL to skip South Korea two years from now, but keeping the door open to go back in 2022, when the Winter Games will be in China.
In spite of indications that the players want to go to the Olympics, the World Cup has the potential to earn the league and NHLPA significant hockey related revenue, which could lower the amount of escrow taken from the player’s salaries. That pocketbook issue could keep the hue and cry of the players down to a whisper if the league decides not to go in 2018.
2. If the NHL does not send their players, the interesting question is who will play for Canada, United States and other countries. The main complaint is that the Olympic break is in mid-February and it interrupts the NHL regular season for two weeks as it is coming down the stretch.
That would be the case with the American Hockey League (if the league allowed non-NHL roster players to participate), the CHL (whose schedule is already interrupted by the World Junior in late December and early January) or NCAA.
Does that mean that university players and professionals playing in Europe will represent Canada and the US against Russians, Swedes and Finns playing in the KHL, SHL or SM-Liiga?? Does it mean that the Olympics will be a glorified version of the Spengler Cup with Brandon Kozun(CAN) or Steve Moses(US) taking on Pavel Datsyuk?
3. Leafs 2015 second-rounder Jeremy Bracco performed well at the World Junior Evaluation Camp and Summer Showcase this week, improving the 19-year-old chances of making Team USA squad for the 2017 WJC in Toronto and Montréal this December.
Bracco is returning to Toronto to work with the Leafs training staff in preparation for training camp next month. If the Long Island native has a good season with Kitchener and performs well on the international stage, it could give him additional leverage to obtain more bonuses on an entry-level deal, but the diminutive winger already has some as he can re-enter the NHL Draft if he is unsigned by next June.
4. The silence has been deafening in regards to the arbitration hearing on Jared Cowen’s disputed buyout. A decision should come prior to the beginning of training camp, but the uncertain status of the 25-year-old defenseman’s contract is taking up one spot on the 50 spots on the Leafs pro contract limit.
Toronto currently has $55,916 in available cap space, but the club is allowed to exceed the $73 million cap by 10% until the beginning of the regular season, when players like Nathan Horton and Stephane Robidas can be placed on LTIR.
The Leafs are currently at 47 contracts, which does not include the signing of a veteran backup goaltender and the possibly addition of Hobey Baker winner Jimmy Vesey later this month. That tight squeeze prevents GM Lou Lamoriello from signing draft picks, free agents or getting players on tryout invites in the hopes of making the club.
5. It seems like eons ago that a Swedish outlet reported the Leafs were going to sign Jhonas Enroth, but there has not been any movement on the backup goaltender front. It’s possible that it is being held up because of the Cowen buyout situation, But also it is possible that since Toronto is close to the max on contracts, that they will opt for a one-for-one swap with the team that cannot be protected in the expansion draft next summer.
6. The decision by Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins and Team President Mark Shapiro to keep Aaron Sanchez in the starting rotation and go with a six-man rotation instead of the controversial move to the bullpen appears is only pushing the choice down the road.
Every game will be important for Toronto in a tight American League playoff race over the next two months and going with a six-man rotation could discombobulate the other starters, who are used to going every fifth day.
Concerns over innings and pitch limitations with a young arm like Sanchez are justified, but they hardly a foolproof guarantee that he will stay healthy. You can see the results of throwing caution to the wind with Mets starter Matt Harvey, who exceeded his innings limits in a pursuit of the World Series and never looked right before being shut down for the year, but being extra careful and shutting down Stephen Strasburg late in the season did not prevent the Nationals starter from having arm difficulties a few years later.
7. Back to the Olympics. A number of friends are covering the games in Rio and hopefully the only noteworthy events will be whoever wins gold, silver and bronze and not anything regarding the Zika virus, terrorism or the polluted water on the Brazilian coast.
Being from Buffalo, I’ve benefited from being able to watch Canadian and US coverage for many years and I have to say that traditionally CBC does a much better job at covering the events and focusing not only on Canadian athletes but everyone, while the NBC coverage is myopically focused on American athletes.
The only thing positive I can say about the Olympics is that once they are over with, we will be two weeks closer to hockey coming back.
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