What happens now that the NHL postponed its season?
When the SARS outbreak occurred in 2003, Buffalo Sabres defensemen Brian Campbell and Rhett Warrener were isolated for multiple days after possible exposure to the respiratory virus.
Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby was one of several players who contracted the mumps in 2014, the first of two incidents in a three-year span when the silent-movie era disease popped up across the NHL.
But those incidents pale in comparison to the response to the coronavirus pandemic, which included the NHL postponing its season as part of a near shutdown across the sports world.
The decision will have lasting effects for future generations of fans with widespread social, political and economic implications.
Golden Knights owner Bill Foley indicated his and the other 30 organizations would get more direction from the NHL next week.
Until then, the league’s move to hit the pause button is shrouded in uncertainty and raises more questions than can be answered at the moment.
What happens to the rest of the season?
The NHL said it hopes to complete the regular season and award the Stanley Cup but offered no indication when play would resume.
Will the rest of the regular season schedule be completed, or will the current standings be used to determine the postseason participants? And once the playoffs begin, will they use five-game series or the traditional best-of-seven?
The Knights sit atop the Pacific Division standings by points (86) and points percentage (.606) with 11 games remaining.
Since not every team has played the same number of games, it makes sense to use points percentage to settle the top eight seeds. As it stands, Nashville and Vancouver each has a .565 points percentage in 69 games and would make a nice series opponent for the Knights.
But there are five teams separated by three points in the Eastern Conference fighting for a wild card. Winnipeg, which has the top wild-card spot in the West with 80 points, would be eliminated from postseason consideration based on points percentage.
Would the NHL consider postseason play-in games in the interest of fairness?
What about the players?
The Knights flew back from Minnesota on Thursday after their game was postponed, and Foley said the message to players was go home, stay with friends and family and wait for direction.
Foley said the Knights would receive more direction from the league next week specifying when players will have access to team facilities.
Players still will receive a check for their three remaining paydays (March 13, March 30, April 15), according to the league.
Will City National Arena remain open?
Yes. The team said the building will continue to operate as scheduled for the time being and that communications with Clark County and the State of Nevada as well as local health officials are ongoing.
“We’re detoxing the entire locker room at T-Mobile Arena and the entire practice facility at City National Arena,” Foley said. “We’re making sure we’re sanitary and taking extra precautions.”
The NHL will provide updates when clubs can resume practices. The team said it plans to keep them open to the public, if permitted.
Can T-Mobile Arena host summer hockey?
Sure, why not? Other than Justin Bieber and Bon Jovi concerts in June and a few other dates, the schedule appears open.
Whether the ice surface holds up in 115-degree heat could be an issue, however.
In what way does this impact the Knights going forward?
On the ice, the Knights endured long-term injuries to leading scorers Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone, each of whom is listed as week to week. The break enables them to heal, along with players such as Chandler Stephenson (upper body) and Alex Tuch (lower body).
But how much time would the Knights and others need to get back in shape? A week?
Of course, the effect of the salary cap remains unknown.
What are the financial implications?
The postponement potentially means lost wages for workers at T-Mobile Arena, and ticket holders are being asked by the team to remain patient while future schedule plans are determined by the NHL.
At the moment, the Knights do not plan to refund tickets for games that go on as scheduled.
Foley also said there would be no layoffs from the Knights’ staff as a result of the stoppage.
“We’ll take care of everyone,” he said. “If we have to make financial sacrifices, we’ll make it.”
Is the NHL awards show scheduled for June 17 in Las Vegas still taking place?
The league has not addressed that yet but is expected to do so soon. It also must sort out the draft (June 25-26 in Montreal) and July 1 free agency, among myriad issues.
How about the Knights’ prospects?
The American Hockey League is on hiatus, and the Chicago Wolves postponed their eight remaining home games. The Canadian Hockey League, which oversees the three major-junior leagues, also paused its schedule.
The NCAA canceled all winter and spring championships, and it’s unclear how that affects the Knights’ ability to sign someone such as Providence sophomore Jack Dugan.
Knights scouts are impacted ahead of the NHL draft because of the cancellation of the under-18 world championships that were scheduled for April. And how will the draft order be determined? That remains to be seen, too.