For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter Although you may think one thing may not have to do with another, the unconfirmed reports on Monday that the the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo, Japan will be postponed a year could increase the chances of the NHL resuming their 2019-20 schedule in the summer as was reported last week. On last week’s “31 Thoughts… podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated that if the Olympics went on as planned (from July 24 to August 9), it would limit the NHL’s scheduling options for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If they were postponed, the league could have the flexibility to resume in June after the moratorium set forth by the Center for Disease Control or even later in the summer if further delays became necessary. The NHL provided an update on the current situation via a Q and A posted on their website this morning. The league hopes to be able to begin opening an abbreviated training camp 45 days into the eight-week period covered by the CDC's recommendation (early May), but that is based on events involving the world-wide pandemic “tracking positively…. Other items addressed were: League-wide testing for COVID-19: is not being recommended and will only occur if someone exhibits symptoms. A resumption of the regular season and what form the Stanley Cup Playoffs: will depend entirely on what transpires between now and when we are permitted and able to resume -- and, ultimately, on timing and taking into account logistical constraints. We are going to have to be flexible and react to events as they unfold as well as the best medical advice available. Games in empty arenas: It is premature to say what the circumstances would be for resumption of play, but we are prepared to follow the direction of relevant health authorities.
The possibility of a shortened 2020-21 regular season based on a delayed 2019-20 playoffs: We do not anticipate a scenario in our resumption of play format that would endanger or interfere with the League's ability to stage and execute the 2020-21 NHL season in its entirety.
Holding the 2020 NHL Draft or Combine: No decisions have been made regarding the timing or format of the NHL Draft or Combine.
Player contracts expiring on July 1: Any decision we make on the schedule and critical dates calendar during the offseason ultimately will be done in conjunction with the NHLPA and, in that context, the parties will discuss how best to accommodate the resumption of play determinations that are ultimately made. The NHL Board of Governors held a conference call on Monday afternoon that included the league’s infectious disease consultant and according to the Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, they continue to be open to a variety of playoff formats and scheduling scenarios, but remain non-committal on when and how things will proceed. *******
We’ve got each other.
— Norman James (@IamNormanJames) March 15, 2020
The pod. On pod. Enjoy.#TheLeafsConvo @MikeInBuffalo @TheLeafsConvo https://t.co/UZLKpic92F