TSN: Martin Biron and Craig Button focus on if NHL stars ought to sit out preseason video games to keep away from accidents like NHL gamers do. The phase was recorded after Drew Doughty’s harm however earlier than the outcomes have been recognized, and earlier than Patrik Laine’s harm on Saturday.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Gino Reda: “Joined by Marty Biron and Craig Button. That nasty wanting Drew Doughty harm put the NHL preseason underneath the microscope once more. The CBA says the NHL groups have to decorate no less than eight veteran gamers for each single preseason recreation. However seeing what occurred to dowdy guys, does the league want to vary this rule to guard its stars, Marty?
Biron: “Nicely, I feel it’s a freak incident, proper? It’s not like Doughty wasn’t taking part in hockey and didn’t get hit from behind. He went for a puck and was attempting to complete a test and he received harm.
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Los Angeles Kings
I don’t assume it’s essential change the rule of eight veterans per recreation, since you nonetheless have to decorate a, , good lineup, however I feel they performed too many preseason video games. When you have got six to eight preseason video games after which you have got an 82-game season, it’s an excessive amount of. Needs to be three or 4 preseason video games. That’s it.
Within the 2012-13 season, that was a lockout-shortened season, after which the COVID season, the place there was no preseason video games in both of them, there’s not one participant that complained. ‘Oh man, I actually want that we had preseason video games so I can get going.’
Coaches complain, proper? House owners complain as a result of they didn’t get the gates and the cash that they get in preseason. However no gamers complain that they weren’t prepared for Recreation one as a result of they didn’t play a preseason recreation or two.
However I feel you bought to shorten the preseason and perhaps you add a few common season video games. The NFL did it, they usually discovered a candy spot. So I feel there’s extra to be accomplished.
However the eight veterans you continue to have to decorate and line up that followers are coming to see, and that’s why I feel that ought to keep.
Button: “I’m going to preface this primary, Marty, I really like you for a lot of causes, and that is simply one more reason I really like you. As a result of I agree with you, 100%. Not 99, 100%.
The gamers are so nicely conditioned. They’re match all through the season. They arrive into coaching camp and all they need to do is prepare, prepare for the common season. We all know that the common season has much more significance from Recreation one than it did in earlier years. So these gamers, these veteran gamers, need to stand up and operating.
They need to, they usually know that an 82-game schedule is lengthy and arduous. We discuss issue of schedule. We discuss what number of back-to-backs, and three in fours.
Nicely, why don’t we alleviate a bit little bit of that early preseason pressures on taking part in and permit these gamers to search out their moments? To your level, they’re going to return in and follow. You may get comfy with contact and all the pieces that goes with it, however they’re able to go from Recreation one.
And I do know that there’s some economics to this with the preseason, however on the identical time, I’d prefer to see a discount within the preseason video games. And perceive that an harm that occurred to Drew Doughty. It occurred to Aaron Rodgers in his first recreation with the New York Jets. What are we going to do? Take out the primary recreation of the season when someone will get harm, it occurs, and it’s unlucky.
There was nothing nefarious or evil concerning the concerning the play. It was only a play that went dangerous for Drew Doughty. Hopefully, it’s not any, something that’s going to actually influence the Los Angeles Kings for a very long time.
Reda: “Okay, guys, I perceive, although I agree totally with you. Gamers at the moment are coming in able to play, and rosters are just about set for essentially the most half. Possibly two or three guys on the very most attempting to earn jobs.
However isn’t this actually only a money seize? I imply, Marty, with HRR and the gamers getting some cash even from the preseason video games. Are gamers, are homeowners, are groups, prepared to sacrifice {dollars} for the protection of their gamers, Marty?
Biron: “Nicely has it’s proper, , just like the preseason gates and all the cash goes solely to the homeowners, proper? The gamers don’t have something once they take a look at HRR from preseason.
So while you transfer ahead, you may cut back the variety of preseason. No person’s gonna complain about it. And now what can also be essential to note is that, you get into camp, you have got your medicals, you have got your health coaching, you follow for 2 days and, increase, you have already got a preseason recreation. Like no person desires to play within the first week.
Sidney Crosby hasn’t performed a recreation but. Evgeny Malkin hasn’t performed a recreation but (hit was recorded on Friday, each performed on the weekend). You recognize, you take a look at the veterans, Connor McDavid performed. The one purpose he performed this as a result of the Oilers and the Flames did the split-squad recreation, if not, like they might have ran out of gamers, so he needed to play a recreation.
However the stars don’t need to play. They could need to get the final preseason recreation and proper into the common season, and on the finish, the NHL, the NHLPA, are going to have to sit down down, as a result of it comes all the way down to the separation of the cash. What goes to the homeowners, what might come to the gamers, and if it is smart.
Nevertheless it makes extra sense to me, as a former participant, to say, I don’t care if there’s one or two preseason video games. I solely care concerning the common season.
Button: “And Marty, the proprietor, shouldn’t care. And I’d like to listen to one proprietor of the Nationwide Hockey League say, ‘You recognize what, we’d like the income for the preseason video games, and I’m not anxious about shedding one in every of my key gamers through the common season that may influence my potential to make the playoffs, the place the money cow is absolutely vital.’
What might Patrik Laine’s harm imply for the Montreal Canadiens?
That’s the place the main focus must be, Gino, and that, to me, is that there’s not an argument economically for this.
