I agree that I doubt we see hockey this year. I think all it will take is for one pro athlete to get really sick and/or die and then a lot of them will say, "Sorry, I'm out."

As for who gets the vaccine, I'm sure it will be the rich and well-connected who get it first, just like always.

Yes, we are living in very stupid times. I told myself I wouldn't be surprised about anything anymore but this whole mask thing is really putting that to the test.
- Hockey66

There's also a chance the virus is like as a cold, it is related to it after fall, and it mutates rapidly. Therefore, just like colds, vaccines won't be that effective at all. Sure, they might give an antibody boost but their success rates of completely blocking it would be low... If it's like a cold.

There's also a chance the virus is like as a cold, it is related to it after fall, and it mutates rapidly. Therefore, just like colds, vaccines won't be that effective at all. Sure, they might give an antibody boost but their success rates of completely blocking it would be low... If it's like a cold.
- MattStrat

Yeah, there's that, too. It might also be like the flu in terms of a vaccine only covering about 30% (or some other relatively low percentage) of what's out there. Too early to tell for sure but it is looking like that's a strong possibility. If that's the case, who knows how this will turn out in terms of how sports leagues and society-at-large proceed.

I'd disagree with those timelines, at least for when they'll try to compete. Also, Ottawa's owner is too cheap to eat salary for assets.
- Tojo.

When you look at their respective divisions not only will they have to be better, but their competition will have to slide. LA may be the only one with a shot since the division is weaker, but there's just no way they're competing for a playoff spot next season. None.

Also, yes, OTT's owner is cheap, but they still have to bring in more dmen to fill out the roster, so $1.625 isn't a haul for a 3rd pairing dman if they're getting something half-way decent in return. A 3rd or a prospect like Bjorkvist may not be sexy, but it's nothing to scoff at.

There is too much money at stake for them not to...Also they have not gone into full bubble mode like they will at hub cities, which will make conditions much more controllable.
- abasin

I'm not putting this solely on the players who were infected because obviously we don't know how they got infected. I guess my point is my assumption is that these players and staff are doing everything in their power to make sure they're safe and it's still possible to get it.

"Bubble Mode" is a very light way of putting this. It really needs to be almost like some kind of compound where NOBODY is allowed to come or go. Something like that needs to be enforced pretty harshly and not simply enforced by trust. There will always be a weak link(s) who find a way out.

Yeah, there's that, too. It might also be like the flu in terms of a vaccine only covering about 30% (or some other relatively low percentage) of what's out there. Too early to tell for sure but it is looking like that's a strong possibility. If that's the case, who knows how this will turn out in terms of how sports leagues and society-at-large proceed.
- Hockey66

Should proceed like we always did before. The fear mongering is out of control.

With the one year remaining, I figured they could move Bjugstad for certsin, but it will be tougher with condensed cap.
- Tojo.

Late response to your republican question the other day, honestly I don’t really know. I don’t have an answer to that. I feel like if trump wins, don jr runs, if he doesn’t.. I don’t really know what they do. As much as I think trump is a donkey (but damn he’s good entertainment), I hate the Biden and the Democrats viewpoints more. I’m more of a don’t (frank) with my life and I won’t (frank) with yours kind of guy but I feel like the democrats are trying to restrict free speech, restrict the right to bear arms and inflict more big government into everyone’s lives which isn’t really what I want.

When you look at their respective divisions not only will they have to be better, but their competition will have to slide. LA may be the only one with a shot since the division is weaker, but there's just no way they're competing for a playoff spot next season. None.

Also, yes, OTT's owner is cheap, but they still have to bring in more dmen to fill out the roster, so $1.625 isn't a haul for a 3rd pairing dman if they're getting something half-way decent in return. A 3rd or a prospect like Bjorkvist may not be sexy, but it's nothing to scoff at.
- Rinosaur

At some point you've bottomed out for long enough and it's time to start competing. You usually don't make that jump in a year, but you have to start it and taking on a bad defenseman for a few years, even at a low price, isn't worth just a 3rd or fringe prospect like Bjorkvist unless for some reason they really like him. (I see 4th liner at best). You'd need to up the compensation IMO. There will be better defensemen at that price or lower because of the condensed cap squeezing players.

Ottawa has a massive hill to climb in that division, but they have Chabot, Tkachuk, 2 top 5 picks, and a strong farm. Time to at least try and compete after 4 years at the bottom. Make it next year? Probably not, but they can at least start moving forward.

Same with LA which wants to try and compete while Kopitar and Doughty are still relevant. Their young guys will need to take some bumps since none if the best were in LA, but they have enough young assets to rebuild. Another 3rd or Bjorkvist is too low to bother for them as they probably have 15 to 20 better prospectsl. Besides, they have some young defensemen ready to step in next year.

My point is both teams should be looking to add quality playera much sooner than the 3 years left on JJ's deal.

Late response to your republican question the other day, honestly I don’t really know. I don’t have an answer to that. I feel like if trump wins, don jr runs, if he doesn’t.. I don’t really know what they do. As much as I think trump is a donkey (but damn he’s good entertainment), I hate the Biden and the Democrats viewpoints more. I’m more of a don’t (frank) with my life and I won’t (frank) with yours kind of guy but I feel like the democrats are trying to restrict free speech, restrict the right to bear arms and inflict more big government into everyone’s lives which isn’t really what I want.
- j.boyd919

Thanks. I would think they'd pivot to someone less controversial if Trump loses after one term. In a sense Biden doesn't matter, this election is largely about how America feels 4 years later about the chance many took on Trump as an unconventional candidate.

I'm an Independent who doesn't trust either party. I don't buy the idea that Biden is going to get pulled along by the far left. He's standing his ground against abolishing the police and he was pretty much the only one telling them they needed add religious exemptions to the ACA if they wanted to keep conservatives from attacking it. I don't know how great a President he'd make, but I'd expect a fairly boring Presidency rather than sweeping changes.

Thanks. I would think they'd pivot to someone less controversial if Trump loses after one term. In a sense Biden doesn't matter, this election is largely about how America feels 4 years later about the chance many took on Trump as an unconventional candidate.

I'm an Independent who doesn't trust either party. I don't buy the idea that Biden is going to get pulled along by the far left. He's standing his ground against abolishing the police and he was pretty much the only one telling them they needed add religious exemptions to the ACA if they wanted to keep conservatives from attacking it. I don't know how great a President he'd make, but I'd expect a fairly boring Presidency rather than sweeping changes.
- Tojo.

If Biden wins they invoke the 25th amendment within year 1 imo.