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 identified, 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 beneath 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 alter this rule to guard its stars, Marty?
Biron: “Properly, I feel it’s a freak incident, proper? It’s not like Doughty wasn’t enjoying hockey and didn’t get hit from behind. He went for a puck and was making an attempt to complete a examine and he obtained damage.
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Los Angeles Kings
I don’t assume you could change the rule of eight veterans per recreation, since you nonetheless have to decorate a, you realize, good lineup, however I feel they performed too many preseason video games. When you might have six to eight preseason video games after which you might have 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? Homeowners 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 Sport one as a result of they didn’t play a preseason recreation or two.
However I feel you bought to shorten the preseason and possibly you add a few common season video games. The NFL did it, and so they discovered a candy spot. So I feel there’s extra to be achieved.
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 like you for a lot of causes, and that is simply one more reason I 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 wish to do is prepare, prepare for the common season. We all know that the common season has much more significance from Sport one than it did in earlier years. So these gamers, these veteran gamers, wish to stand up and working.
They wish to, and so they know that an 82-game schedule is lengthy and exhausting. We speak about issue of schedule. We speak about what number of back-to-backs, and three in fours.
Properly, why don’t we alleviate somewhat little bit of that early preseason pressures on enjoying and permit these gamers to seek out their moments? To your level, they’re going to come back in and observe. You may get snug with contact and every part that goes with it, however they’re able to go from Sport one.
And I do know that there’s some economics to this with the preseason, however on the identical time, I’d wish 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 any person will get damage, it occurs, and it’s unlucky.
There was nothing nefarious or evil concerning the concerning the play. It was only a play that went unhealthy for Drew Doughty. Hopefully, it’s not any, something that’s going to essentially influence the Los Angeles Kings for a very long time.
Reda: “Okay, guys, I perceive, although I agree absolutely with you. Gamers are actually 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 making an attempt 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, keen to sacrifice {dollars} for the protection of their gamers, Marty?
Biron: “Properly has or not it’s proper, you realize, just like the preseason gates and all the cash goes solely to the homeowners, proper? The gamers don’t have something after they take a look at HRR from preseason.
So while you transfer ahead, you possibly can scale back the variety of preseason. No person’s gonna complain about it. And now what can be essential to note is that, you get into camp, you might have your medicals, you might have your health coaching, you observe for 2 days and, growth, 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 take a look at the veterans, Connor McDavid performed. The one cause 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 wish to play. They might wish 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 take a seat down, as a result of it comes all the way down to the separation of the cash. What goes to the homeowners, what may come to the gamers, and if it is smart.
However 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, ‘ what, we want the income for the preseason video games, and I’m not frightened about shedding certainly one of my key gamers through the common season which may influence my means to make the playoffs, the place the money cow is admittedly important.’
What may Patrik Laine’s harm imply for the Montreal Canadiens?
That’s the place the main target ought to be, Gino, and that, to me, is that there’s not an argument economically for this.
