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The former National Hockey League (NHL) bully Kems Jensen is categorically opposed to the continuation of the season, substantiating his arguments “Cam and Strick” in a podcast in which he himself is one of the leaders.
It has already been reported that the NHL talks with the Players’ Association (NHLPA) will see the continuation of the season on August 1, with the games taking place in the Canadian cities of Toronto and Edmonton.
“I don’t think the NHL plan will work,” Jensen said. “Do you really think that none of the players will be caught on video cameras in violation of the rules? Believe me, in three days of not doing and sitting in a hotel, people will “go to the roof”. I can say that the strongest team will not win here, but the one with better discipline. Maybe the New York Islanders? Imagine a player dreaming of triumph in the NHL and then celebrating it, taking the cup to their homeland and the debts of the champions. No, wait – it won’t be possible! Is there really anyone who thinks it doesn’t matter to players? It is damn important for them, because hockey players will work hard as hell for two months and will want to celebrate the triumph with their loved ones. There will be nothing like that this year… ”
“For me, this continuation of the season reminds me of a tournament for 13-14 year olds, when if someone goes somewhere, they will have problems from their mother and father,” Jensen continued. “It seems to me that many players are currently asking, ‘What the hell are we doing?’ Imagine if St. Louis Blues leaders Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly and Jordan Binnington get a coronavirus. Who will replace them? Guys who haven’t skated in eight months? If someone falls ill, their number will logically increase. It will not be the case that all players will now obediently sit in their hotels and go nowhere. ”
“The main intrigue of this tournament will not be who will raise the Stanley Cup overhead, but who will be the first to break the rules by going to a restaurant or visiting a friend who lives nearby,” Jensen said. “It simply came to our notice then. Let’s say players like Taresenko and O’Reilly follow the rules, but what about reservists who have a small role or other club staff? ”
“Many players in Toronto have families. Does the NHL really think a hockey player whose wife and children live nearby will not want to visit them? Ha! We are not talking about hockey here at all, but about who will be the first to break these stupid rules. I look at things realistically – one idiot will be enough to thwart all NHL plans, ”Jensen said. ”
Jensen, 36, played for the New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues at the NHL. The NHL gave him 336 games, 14 points and 774 penalty minutes.
Previously, NHL club owners and players agreed on a 24-team knockout game format that would lead to a series of up to three wins in a “play-off” qualifying round, followed by a switch to the traditional series format for up to four wins.
The league and the players’ union also agreed that the playoffs would not take place in the traditional grid, when each team knows with which pair the winner will play the next round, and the teams will be re-seeded after each round.
Division of teams
The Eastern Conference season will continue with Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens.
The Western Conference season will continue with the St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota’s Wild, Chicago’s Blackhawks and Arizona’s Coyotes.
Bruins, Lightning, Capitals and Flyers will compete in the Eastern Conference for the sown places, but the following pairs will meet in a qualifying tournament with eight teams: Penguins vs. Canadiens, Hurricanes vs. Rangers, Islanders “Panthers” and “Blue Jackets” v. Maple Leafs.
The Blues, Golden Knights, Avalanche and Stars will compete in the Western Conference for the sown places, and the following pairs will meet in a qualifying tournament with eight teams: Oilers vs. Blackhawks, Predators vs. Coyotes, Canucks vs. Wild and Flames vs. Jets.
Goalkeepers Elvis Merzļikins and Matīss Kivlenieks (Columbus “Blue Jackets”), as well as forwards Teodors Blugers (Pittsburgh “Penguins”), but Zemgus Girgensons (Buffalo “Sabers”) and Rūdolfs Balcers (Ottawa “Senators”) will continue the season from Latvians .
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