NHL pauses regular season because of coronavirus

[The Comish]

I believe it is lottery protected.

The funniest situation is that the Rangers could beat the Canes in the play-in, win the Cup, and get Canes lottery pick. Imagine the Rangers winning the cup and then picking first overall.

I agree, the Rangers situation is interesting. They have a good mix of players and if healthy, the question will be how will their goaltending be in the playoffs!

[ericdaoust]

This is going to be so unpredictable. The top teams have no momentum going in and they're probably entering their first playoff series colder than their underdog opponent.

[The Comish]

This is going to be so unpredictable. The top teams have no momentum going in and they're probably entering their first playoff series colder than their underdog opponent.

Yeah, it's almost like starting the Stanley Cup playoffs at the beginning of a season. Definitely going to be a team that just catches fire right away and runs with it. Hope it's my Oilers, asterisks be damned!! lol

[stevegamer]

I agree, the Rangers situation is interesting. They have a good mix of players and if healthy, the question will be how will their goaltending be in the playoffs!

That's an easy answer: Chimeric.

[ericdaoust]

Yeah, it's almost like starting the Stanley Cup playoffs at the beginning of a season. Definitely going to be a team that just catches fire right away and runs with it. Hope it's my Oilers, asterisks be damned!! lol

All of 2020 is an asterisk. Who cares. Whoever goes through all of that and wins the Stanley Cup deserves it.

[blayze]

There's going to be a lot of rust... sloppy, undisciplined plays from months of layoff.

I think this has gotta benefit teams with more speed and skill. Like the Leafs

[tobias]

now that its somewhat official that finishing the regular season isnt happening I wonder when fantrax will open 2020-21 league renewals so we can conduct offseason chores or start new league etc.

Looks like it's ready to go, now.

[tobias]

All of 2020 is an asterisk. Who cares. Whoever goes through all of that and wins the Stanley Cup deserves it.

I agree - the playoffs are a grind, and I will harbour no ill feelings toward whichever team wins the Cup. They will definitely deserve it.

[The Comish]

All of 2020 is an asterisk. Who cares. Whoever goes through all of that and wins the Stanley Cup deserves it.

100%. I'm not in the asterisk crowd, but I know there are some who think it needs one. It does not.

[DusterDave]

I know over in Europe they were pumping fan noise into soccer stadiums during games.

No they aren’t. Some TV broadcasts have been but not most.

[PenguinHunter]

So they have decided on two hub cities. I wonder what they are gonna do for the finals...

1) pick one of the two hub cities?
2) alternate between the two hub cities?
3) pick a third hub city to host the finals?

I think the most fair solution would be to drop one of the hub cities for the conference Finals. That way two teams are transferring to a new hub city and playing each other as they not get accustom to the new city. And then the advantage of the team that played in the hub city Hosting the final is not as significant as if it were just for the finals that a team had to transfer to a new hub city.

[Irriducibile11]

What's gonna happen with fantasy hockey now?

[Irriducibile11]

All of 2020 is an asterisk.

That's exactly why I need to bet $100 on a team ranked 9th-12th

[havanablast21]

There's going to be a lot of rust... sloppy, undisciplined plays from months of layoff.

I think this has gotta benefit teams with more speed and skill. Like the Leafs

BOOM!!!

There’s my fellow Leafs fan.

THEY SEEM TO EXCEL ... at the START of the season. Ignore the fact the other team is wearing the same jersey over and over.

[havanablast21]

I agree - the playoffs are a grind, and I will harbour no ill feelings toward whichever team wins the Cup. They will definitely deserve it.

Sure... the only asterisk for me would be, or rather is... “did they deserve to be there to begin with?” (Teams 17-24). There in lies the Asterisk.