For the 2021 season, it’s growing increasingly possible there will be no Hockey Night in Canada where games actually take place in Canada. Suddenly, the talk of a completely Canadian division and, frankly, the excitement of the possibility of such a division has now been overwhelmed by the real possibility that this division could see all of its games not take place in Canadian cities.
Related: What You Need to Know: NHL and NHLPA Reach Tentative Deal On 56-Game Season
Yesterday, for the first time, Canadian NHL fans heard that the NHL and the NHLPA were not the only negotiations going on about the beginning of a regular NHL season this year. In fact, it looks like provincial governments in Canada might have more to do with the outcome of hockey than any of the other negotiators.
What Might Hockey, Without Canada, Look Like?
What might that look like? Can there be hockey in North America without hockey in Canada? Can a Canadian team play in, for example, Kansas City? Is it possible that the Toronto Maple Leafs might soon become – if only for a season – the Miami Maple Leafs? These are questions that haunt Canadian hockey fans even as we speak.
In a segment of the Tim & Sid Show, taped earlier today and titled “Hockey Night in Kansas City?”, Sportsnet’s hockey insider Chris Johnston reports how things have changed. The NHL expected that games would be played in Canada; however, suddenly the NHL is scrambling to find alternative solutions. And the clock is ticking. Time is running out on a shortened 2020-21 campaign. It was difficult before, now it’s becoming next to impossible.
One of the issues for the NHL is even the idea of having hockey without having it in Canada. As Johnston noted, the game of hockey is symbolic in Canada. In fact, we Canadians call it Hockey Night in Canada, not Hockey Night in Kansas City.
Johnston went on to add that, during the 2019-20 NHL season’s Return-to-Play planning, discussions centered on having at least one of the bubble cities located in Canada. As it turned out both cities were in Canada. Now, the NHL is facing a season without any games in Canada. That seems almost unthinkable.
Where the Difficulty Comes From
Obviously, as Johnston said, the NHL wants to respect that hockey is played in both the United States and in Canada. However, in reality that might not be possible. The chaos comes because, to begin play, the NHL must negotiate with four different provinces – Ontario (home of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators), Québec (home of the Montreal Canadiens), Manitoba (home of the Winnipeg Jets), Alberta (home of the Edmonton Oilers at the Calgary Flames), and British Columbia (home of the Vancouver Canucks).
The problem is that one province might agree to do something one way about health and safety, but another province might not agree with that solution. As Johnston noted, Ontario might sign off on an agreement that British Columbia could never agree to. That complex negotiation process really has pulled things to a standstill.
In Canada, health authorities our provincial, and the different provinces react differently to their mandate. The other thing that complicates matters is the reality that, although everyone knew that a second wave of the pandemic was on its way, few people anticipated it would be as bad as it is in Canada. That put the country on a lockdown in most provinces, as it should.
NHL Hockey Might Be a Hard Sell in a Season of Sacrifice
It matters that, right during times when people are being asked to sacrifice – not to join with their families at Christmas or New Year’s, NHL hockey is trying to plan a season? That might seem as cross purposes to the different provinces.
Sadly, the situation might get a whole lot worse before it gets better. Although the vaccine is on the way and has been administered already in both Canada and the United States, it will be months before there’s full vaccination coverage in either country. Sadly, for NHL hockey fans, this might be one of those times when hockey is on the back burner and human health and safety is more primary.
A Tentative Agreement Was Struck Tonight
A report released by the Toronto Star tonight noted that “The NHL was reportedly planning to realign its divisions for the 2020-21 campaign with a seven-team, all-Canadian division that would play domestically in Canada with no cross-border travel. However, reports Thursday night suggested that every Canadian team may have to head south instead to adhere to provincial guidelines around COVID-19.” (from “NHL/NHLPA reach tentative deal for 2020-21 season, Toronto Star, 18/12/20(.
The report noted what I reported above that “The league would need approval from health authorities in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia for a Canadian division to work, and it’s reportedly believed to have hit a roadblock.”
We Just Don’t Know Yet
NHL hockey fans will have to wait to see how this turns out. Without bubble cities, there’s travel. With travel comes complications. It’s those complications that are stalling the beginning of eight 2021 NHL regular season hockey.
Good luck and safe wishes to everyone involved.
Clair
December 20, 2020 at 1:05 pm
The NHL has to negotiate with FIVE provinces, not four.
And you meant “are provincial” not “our provincial”.