Around the NHL: 2020-2021

[Eleven]

9 hours ago, dudacek said:

Can’t recall much of a media backlash up here that is was, and I’ve never heard a real person in public or private conversation suggest it was.

Yeah maybe I've been spending too much time reading Canadian subreddits.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

48 minutes ago, sabrefanday1 said:

As a Canadian (sometimes proud, other times just kinda in the middle) I do think our whole situation is with COVID 19 is entirely different then that of the US. Here (Canada) we are blessed and lucky to have an amazing health-care system that is basically free and there for us top use whenever and however we please. I suffered a nasty massive heart attack back in 2010 (complete 100% blockage which they like to call the widow-maker). Our healthcare system was and continues to be so efficient and looks after me anytime I need anything.

   Conversely, many Americans cannot afford the health care they really need but their government does not really care as they do not pay for their healthcare as Canada's does, Here raising cases means many more in hospitals and that costs our government tons so in some senses it is cheaper to lockdown and lose that revenue then it is to open up and have to  contend with massive heathcare costs. I read somewhere that they figure many many US citizens died of COVID at home as they simply could not afford to go to the hospital.

   We do however have a Premier here in Ontario that is trying to look good and open up when it may be very dangerous and silly to do so at this time. This whole bloody COVID thing is such that no matter what any government does they look stupid or wrong. 

   Anyways back to the Sabres do you all not think Seattle would be better off with Borgen then Miller? Of course if Seattle takes Will then tries to send him to their AHL team he would have to clear waivers I believe and we could claim him back as we'd get first dibs (I also believe).  

 

 

Cool ...

41 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

I disagree with some of what you said here. But this is not the thread for that. You do you …

Me too, but I disagree with pretty much all of the first part.  I agree that it should not be discussed in this thread and some things don't even belong in the COVID thread.

[Digger]

9 hours ago, Eleven said:

1.  It is a reply to a few posts above that I didn't bother quoting.

2. It reflects Canada's attitude towards America over the last eighteen months.  Or, at least, my perception of it.

We miss you and we would like to think that you miss us, as well.

From my standpoint I would just say that the Canadian government's stance doesn't really reflect the people's feelings of Canada.  Most of us want the border open again and travel back and forth between us.  We have more in common than we have differences.  

God bless America, God bless Canada.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 minute ago, Digger said:

From my standpoint I would just say that the Canadian government's stance doesn't really reflect the people's feelings of Canada.  Most of us want the border open again and travel back and forth between us.  We have more in common than we have differences.  

God bless America, God bless Canada.

Here in NS we don't even want yous Canadians from anywhere West of the NB line ...

😉

[dudacek]

Daughter just cancelled a planned trip to the Yukon because they still don’t want her visiting.

All three had 1st shots, but only one had 2nd.

@digger and I may hang with different crowds, but most of the people I talk to are ready for the border to be opened but only to people who are fully vaxxed. Living on an west Coast Island does tend to skew people’s perspective here somewhat over, say, an Ontario border town. 

Wife and got off the Island for the 1st time since Christmas 2019 last week after many of our in-province restrictions were lifted July 1. We’re finally getting our 2nd shots Wednesday.

Our province is at about 80 percent 1st and 50 Percent 2nd. I’d like to see a much higher percentage with 2 shots before I’m comfortable opening things up to protect against variants.

Edited July 19, 2021 by dudacek

[French Collection]

1 hour ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Here in NS we don't even want yous Canadians from anywhere West of the NB line ...

😉

That hurts.Lol

I love the East coast, I’ll return when allowed.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, dudacek said:

Daughter just cancelled a planned trip to the Yukon because they still don’t want her visiting.

All three had 1st shots, but only one had 2nd.

@digger and I may hang with different crowds, but most of the people I talk to are ready for the border to be opened but only to people who are fully vaxxed. Living on an west Coast Island does tend to skew people’s perspective here somewhat over, say, an Ontario border town. 

Wife and got off the Island for the 1st time since Christmas 2019 last week after many of our in-province restrictions were lifted July 1. We’re finally getting our 2nd shots Wednesday.

Our province is at about 80 percent 1st and 50 Percent 2nd. I’d like to see a much higher percentage with 2 shots before I’m comfortable opening things up to protect against variants.

I hear you, my brother.

They say that NS will be officially an island again very soon with rising sea tides and the narrow strip, which is below sea level already, connecting us to NB is protected by a handful of aging dykes that will not hold.

BRING IT ON!!

That's my motto.

[Radar]

2 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I hear you, my brother.

They say that NS will be officially an island again very soon with rising sea tides and the narrow strip, which is below sea level already, connecting us to NB is protected by a handful of aging dykes that will not hold.

BRING IT ON!!

That's my motto.

Climate change?? Never according to my reps.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

This is big news ... 

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/19/1017915128/luke-prokop-becomes-the-first-nhl-player-under-contract-to-come-out-as-gay

And great.  I long for a day when this type of announcement is not needed.

[pi2000]

3 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

This is big news ... 

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/19/1017915128/luke-prokop-becomes-the-first-nhl-player-under-contract-to-come-out-as-gay

And great.  I long for a day when this type of announcement is not needed.

Agreed, it shouldn't be news... but I applaud him nonetheless.   

[PASabreFan]

59 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

This is big news ... 

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/19/1017915128/luke-prokop-becomes-the-first-nhl-player-under-contract-to-come-out-as-gay

And great.  I long for a day when this type of announcement is not needed.

OTOH, when the light is turned on, you can see the cockroaches.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

11 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

OTOH, when the light is turned on, you can see the cockroaches.

Very true.  

It is unfortunate, but these announcements are still big news and will be for some time.  Love is Love!!

Good for him.  I wish for him a good life, as I do anyone.

[PerreaultForever]

7 hours ago, Digger said:

From my standpoint I would just say that the Canadian government's stance doesn't really reflect the people's feelings of Canada.  Most of us want the border open again and travel back and forth between us.  We have more in common than we have differences.  

God bless America, God bless Canada.

Actually it does. The border is opening for fully vaccinated so hockey won't be affected in the fall assuming all players are vaccinated. Dumbass fans who refuse to vaccinate might not get to cross the border to see them though. 

It's true, thanks to the old PC Mulroney government of long ago (Reagan era for Americans reference) we stopped making our own vaccines and were importing them from primarily the U.S. as part of "free trade" and it was a huge mistake, so we were not overly happy with the "America first" attitude to vaccine production BUT now we've moved ahead of the U.S. in fully vaxxed as we, as whole, are less hesitant and are generally more believers in science and medicine. 

Bottom line, hockey should be fine. 

 

[Digger]

11 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Actually it does. The border is opening for fully vaccinated so hockey won't be affected in the fall assuming all players are vaccinated. Dumbass fans who refuse to vaccinate might not get to cross the border to see them though. 

It's true, thanks to the old PC Mulroney government of long ago (Reagan era for Americans reference) we stopped making our own vaccines and were importing them from primarily the U.S. as part of "free trade" and it was a huge mistake, so we were not overly happy with the "America first" attitude to vaccine production BUT now we've moved ahead of the U.S. in fully vaxxed as we, as whole, are less hesitant and are generally more believers in science and medicine. 

Bottom line, hockey should be fine. 

 

I was just responding to @Eleven that I would like to see the border open again as well and that Canadians and Americans have lots in common.  I wasn't interested in having a political discussion in a hockey forum.  You are right that there's a plan to reopen so we can agree on that.  

[Radar]

23 minutes ago, Digger said:

I was just responding to @Eleven that I would like to see the border open again as well and that Canadians and Americans have lots in common.  I wasn't interested in having a political discussion in a hockey forum.  You are right that there's a plan to reopen so we can agree on that.  

It's about politics though. It effects sports whether we like it or not.

[apuszczalowski]

1 hour ago, Digger said:

I was just responding to @Eleven that I would like to see the border open again as well and that Canadians and Americans have lots in common.  I wasn't interested in having a political discussion in a hockey forum.  You are right that there's a plan to reopen so we can agree on that.  

The plan right now thought is only for Americans entering Canada, apparently the US government has not announced any plans for allowing Canadians in yet. It's a bit odd because there's a higher percent of Canadians vacinated then Americans, but we Canadians have to be nice and inviting first......

With MLS & MLB getting the go ahead for games to be played in Canada again, I don't think it will be an issue for the NHL this fall unless things drastically change. It's not like the NFL where they are having trouble with convincing players to get vacinated, the NHL had good numbers for vacinations.

[Eleven]

5 hours ago, apuszczalowski said:

there's a higher percent of Canadians vacinated then Americans, but we Canadians have to be nice and inviting first.....

1.  There has been nothing "nice and inviting" about it at all for eighteen months; we have been trying to work with you.

2. I'd bet anything that if we count states that border Canada, we've got a higher percentage.  Yes, even including Montana, Idaho, and Dakota.

Edited July 20, 2021 by Eleven

[sabrefanday1]

so seeing how everybody knows everything on here and only they are right with their opinions (when in reality there is no such thing as a "wrong" opinion)does anybody know if the NHL is returning to the normal old divisional set up? That division we were in last year was tough for sure. Maybe we can try and hope we can sneak in the playoffs next year with a new fresh attitude and meatballs coaching.

[steveoath]

16 minutes ago, sabrefanday1 said:

so seeing how everybody knows everything on here and only they are right with their opinions (when in reality there is no such thing as a "wrong" opinion)does anybody know if the NHL is returning to the normal old divisional set up? That division we were in last year was tough for sure. Maybe we can try and hope we can sneak in the playoffs next year with a new fresh attitude and meatballs coaching.

I'm sure divisions go back to normal.  However,  I am not sure that we'd get in to the playoffs. TAMPA, BOSTON, FLORIDA, TORONTO, MONTREAL are all arguably better than us at the moment. And that's before we trade Jack/Sam.

Edited July 20, 2021 by steveoath

[Curt]

17 minutes ago, sabrefanday1 said:

so seeing how everybody knows everything on here and only they are right with their opinions (when in reality there is no such thing as a "wrong" opinion)does anybody know if the NHL is returning to the normal old divisional set up? That division we were in last year was tough for sure. Maybe we can try and hope we can sneak in the playoffs next year with a new fresh attitude and meatballs coaching.

No.  You are wrong!

I happen to know for a fact, from my sources, that no one on here knows everything!  Anyone with the “opinion” that anyone knows everything is foolish!

[Marvin]

I wonder if teams will do long Canadian and American road trips to avoid border crossings.  Three games for eastern conference trips and 4 games on western conference trips.  Ditto for Canadian teams playing in the US -- minimum 3 game road trips.

[Taro T]

33 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I wonder if teams will do long Canadian and American road trips to avoid border crossings.  Three games for eastern conference trips and 4 games on western conference trips.  Ditto for Canadian teams playing in the US -- minimum 3 game road trips.

Would expect that for the most part.  And 3 & 4 game road trips through Western Canada or California/ AZ / Vegas were already the norm.  Wouldn't be at all surprised to see Eastern Conference teams hit up all 4 of Western Canada with either the 1st or last game of the trip to be in Seattle.

Could see Canadian teams taking at least 1, if not 2 or 3, extended road trips through the US of 7-10 games.

Could also see US squads making 2 circuits through their own conference's Canadian teams to minimize border crossings.

Just because things look to be opening up now does not mean politicians won't change their minds again in a few months.  Planning now for minimal border crossings would be prudent IMHO.

[steveoath]

It'd be great if they would keep back to backs though. I thought that was kinda cool with the games last season.

[sabrefanday1]

3 hours ago, steveoath said:

I'm sure divisions go back to normal.  However,  I am not sure that we'd get in to the playoffs. TAMPA, BOSTON, FLORIDA, TORONTO, MONTREAL are all arguably better than us at the moment. And that's before we trade Jack/Sam.

Thanks for reply...while we are back in that division at least the teams that make the playoffs are taken from two separate divisions I believe  so we just have to be in top 8 in our conference I think. Mind you there are some good teams in the other division within our conference too no doubt. I don;t know maybe just wishful thinking but I really thought we played well under meatballs and hope maybe we can finally sneak into playoffs. I like to think we wil have a newly signed Sam and a healthy Jack and we will be quite competitive. I can dream I suppose! 

[PerreaultForever]

15 hours ago, Curt said:

No.  You are wrong!

I happen to know for a fact, from my sources, that no one on here knows everything!  Anyone with the “opinion” that anyone knows everything is foolish!

The only thing I know for sure, is that I know nothing............which when I stop to think about it really confuses me.