Vegas Golden Knights: Protecting 2020-21 may be the best option for NHL

We are deep into week two of no Vegas Golden Knights hockey and the return of sports in general remains as unclear as ever.

As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus crisis, the Vegas Golden Knights and the rest of the NHL remains on hiatus.

The rest of the sports world is also on lockdown as we all adjust to a new normal and deal with an unprecedented health crisis that has never been seen before.

While sports will take a back seat at times like these, those of us who are sports mad and love hockey in particular wake up every day hoping to be given a glimmer of hope as to when our favorite teams may be able to return to normal service.

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However, that day seems as far away as possible in the wake of events on Wednesday, which saw the NHL postpone a string of staple events on the hockey calendar.

The 2020 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, the 2020 Bridgestone NHL Awards in Vegas and the 2020 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal have all now been postponed.

All three events, which were due to take place throughout the month of June, will be rescheduled at a later date and it is almost certain that all three events will look very different compared to previous years’ editions.

This is now the new normal and the NHL have taken these steps in the hope that the 2019-20 season can still return at some point this year, whatever form that may take.

Some are still holding out hope that the regular season could be completed but due to timings and COVID-19 not slowing down, it is more likely that we will jump straight into the postseason should hockey return at all this year.

It has been floated by some that a 24-team playoff format could be introduced, and we will delve into what hockey could look like if it returns in more detail later this week.

But, for now, should the main objective for the National Hockey League be to focus on ensuring that the 2020-21 season remains intact and isn’t salvaged at all?

For starters, I would hate to see the Stanley Cup remain on the shelf this year and not be awarded to anyone, an outcome that would just be criminal in my mind and in the minds of hockey fans all over the world.

However, there is going to be a clear and glaring asterisk next to the 2019-20 NHL season no matter what happens now, and do we really want one next to 2020-21 as well?

Granted, I fully understand that a lot of this boils down to money as with everything else in life, and simply abandoning the season full stop would have a dramatic and damaging effect on the NHL’s bottom-line.

It would affect every single aspect of the sport, including the salary cap for 2020-21 which was set to rise to a figure as high as $88 million according to reports as recently as a few weeks ago, but will now likely remain where it is at $81.5 million or even drop.

So, with that in mind, the NHL will look to salvage this season at all costs unless there is just no possible way to do so.

But, there are also a bevy of logistical nightmares to try and navigate.

For instance, the NHL have asked teams to start exploring arena availability through the month of August.

That is all well and good but it isn’t feasible in all cities. I mean, let’s take the Golden Knights for example, it gets awfully hot in Vegas in August (it is in a desert after all!) and keeping the ice in pristine condition may be near impossible.

Arizona, LA and Florida among others would have a similar problem, so there is that to consider too as the NHL continues to decide what to do for the best.

You also have to consider that many players have been allowed to return to their home states or countries, so they would need to get back and then there would have to be some form of mini Training Camp, which would push the timeline back even further for hockey to return.

There is also the fact that the COVID-19 appears to be just hitting its peak, which means that lockdown and self-isolation orders will be in place for at least a few more weeks, if not longer.

Plus, with 31 teams across two countries and a host of different cities, that in itself throws up a bunch of logistical question marks.

Some cities and states may be affected more than others, which means that they will be further behind other areas when it comes to easing lockdown restrictions.

As of now, players must remain in self-isolation through April. 4, but that could change given the fact that there are new developments relating to COVID-19 emerging on a daily basis.

It is a small miracle that only two players to date in the NHL have been tested positive for coronavirus, both of the Ottawa Senators, but that makes it even more important for the NHL to remain on lockdown for now.

In a nutshell, this is a take it day-by-day situation and the NHL won’t make any drastic decisions until they have all the data and information in-front of them.

But, as the days and weeks pass by, we are starting to reach a point where keeping this year alive could have a detrimental effect on 2020-21.

After all, you would still need to stage the Combine, the NHL Entry Draft and Free Agency before the new league year begins, and we’re simply running out of time to fit everything in.

Again, I am not for abandoning this season completely as I would love to see a Stanley Cup awarded after a fiercely contested and entertaining postseason, no matter the form it takes.

But, as a hockey fan, I also don’t want season after season impacted by the coronavirus and maybe sacrificing 2019-20 would ensure that the 2020-21 regular season could start without any disruption and go on as normal.

It is an absolute gut-wrenching decision for the NHL and it is one I am glad I don’t have to make.