'The one thing they've told me is that it's definitely a different animal playing in front of no fans, mentally.' ArizonaCoyotes GM John Chayka joined timandsid to discuss what the NHL can learn from the Bundesliga's return, and more.
For hockey fans at large, the NHL’s Return to Play Plan granted a glimmer of hope, a roadmap that showed the path back to some sense of normalcy, even if much still has to happen before the league can embark upon it.
A safe return involves more than just protection from COVID-19. There is, for example, the matter of getting players’ bodies ready to jump directly into the grind of playoff hockey. And, according togeneral manager John Chayka, there’s also the mental grind to consider, an aspect Chayka’s heard plenty about from him his counterparts in the Bundesliga, which returned to the field on May 16.
The prospect of playing without fans in the building — which is all but a certainty for the league’s potential 24-team playoff restart, and potentially parts of next season as well — is sure to bring a different type of challenge for the teams still in the running for the Stanley Cup, said Chayka. And it’ll also show us something about what makes the gears turn for those suiting up for the tournament.
While much has been made of the NHL’s Return to Play Plan and whether or not it’s the best option for potentially resuming the current season, Chayka echoed the sentiments of many in the game in saying right now it simply seems the best possible option of those available, even if it falls short of perfect.
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