TSN: Martin Biron and Craig Button talk about 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 damage however earlier than the outcomes had been recognized, and earlier than Patrik Laine’s damage on Saturday.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Gino Reda: “Joined by Marty Biron and Craig Button. That nasty trying Drew Doughty damage put the NHL preseason beneath the microscope once more. The CBA says the NHL groups have to decorate a minimum of eight veteran gamers for each single preseason sport. However seeing what occurred to dowdy guys, does the league want to vary this rule to guard its stars, Marty?
Biron: “Effectively, 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 making an attempt to complete a test and he obtained damage.
NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Los Angeles Kings
I don’t suppose that you must change the rule of eight veterans per sport, since you nonetheless have to decorate a, , good lineup, however I feel they performed too many preseason video games. When you’ve got six to eight preseason video games after which you’ve 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 sport 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, they usually discovered a candy spot. So I feel there’s extra to be carried out.
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 another excuse 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 Recreation one than it did in earlier years. So these gamers, these veteran gamers, wish to rise up and operating.
They wish to, they usually know that an 82-game schedule is lengthy and laborious. We discuss problem of schedule. We discuss what number of back-to-backs, and three in fours.
Effectively, why don’t we alleviate a bit of 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 apply. You will get comfy with contact and every thing 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 similar time, I’d wish to see a discount within the preseason video games. And perceive that an damage that occurred to Drew Doughty. It occurred to Aaron Rodgers in his first sport with the New York Jets. What are we going to do? Take out the primary sport of the season when anyone will get damage, it occurs, and it’s unlucky.
There was nothing nefarious or evil in regards to the in regards to the play. It was only a play that went dangerous for Drew Doughty. Hopefully, it’s not any, something that’s going to essentially impression 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 probably 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 house owners, are groups, keen to sacrifice {dollars} for the security of their gamers, Marty?
Biron: “Effectively has or not it’s proper, , just like the preseason gates and all the cash goes solely to the house owners, proper? The gamers don’t have something after they have a look at HRR from preseason.
So if you transfer ahead, you may cut back the variety of preseason. No one’s gonna complain about it. And now what can also be necessary to note is that, you get into camp, you’ve got your medicals, you’ve got your health coaching, you apply for 2 days and, increase, you have already got a preseason sport. Like no one desires to play within the first week.
Sidney Crosby hasn’t performed a sport but. Evgeny Malkin hasn’t performed a sport but (hit was recorded on Friday, each performed on the weekend). You understand, you have a look at the veterans, Connor McDavid performed. The one motive he performed this as a result of the Oilers and the Flames did the split-squad sport, if not, like they’d have ran out of gamers, so he needed to play a sport.
However the stars don’t wish to play. They might wish to get the final preseason sport 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 house owners, 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 in regards to 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 understand what, we want the income for the preseason video games, and I’m not nervous about dropping one in all my key gamers throughout the common season which may impression my capacity to make the playoffs, the place the money cow is admittedly vital.’
What may Patrik Laine’s damage 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.
