Bruins’ Cam Neely Doesn’t Expect NHL To Start Up With Playoffs

When and if the NHL pause because of the coronavirus pandemic ends, Boston Bruins president Cam Neely doesn’t expect the Stanley Cup playoffs to be the first games played.

“I don’t think that would happen,” Neely said during a video townhall for season ticket holders on Thursday. “I don’t think the players would welcome that at all. I think they’re going to want to play some games (before). It’s kind of no different than finishing the season, if you were going to the finals last year, you do want to get back into some form of camp and play some games. I would be concerned about player safety if that was the case.”

Here’s what Neely has heard in his regular meetings with the NHL Board of Governors and in other league meetings:

*Once the NHL gets the go-ahead from government and health officials to pursue a restart, players will get a few days to report to team facilities (in their cities or at a neutral site) and then get a few days to work out on their own, possibly even skating.

*A training camp of as much as three weeks would then commence.

*The regular season would then be completed over a timeframe of about three weeks.

Neely said he has also heard about the idea that the NHL might use four regional sites to host the rest of the regular season so that players can be kept in one place and be kept away from any situations that could put them in jeopardy of getting sick.

“Everything’s on the table now,” Neely said. “Based on the conversations I have with the league, obviously we have to wait and see what happens nationally and North America-wise. I can tell you this, both the players and ownership want to do whatever’s possible to get the season completed. If that means playing into the summer, we’re all willing to do that. That would mean pushing next season back a little bit, and they feel there’s an opportunity to be able to push next season back and still get an 82-game schedule in the following year.

“We’re trying to be as patient as possible. Players are doing everything possible to keep themselves in the best shape they can before we hopefully get back to training and then some sort of training camp where we get on the ice. But everything’s on the table to try to get this season completed, which is exciting for us.”

Games played without fans could open up room for innovation that might benefit the league and fans going forward.

“If we’re doing it without fans, they’re going to try to make it the best TV programming possible. And if that’s the case, you might see different camera angles, because you might get to bring the cameras down a little lower than you normally could because there’s no fans in the way. So I think they’re looking at how can we bring the game off the TV a little differently than what we see now,” he said.

As for the Bruins, who were atop the NHL with 100 points when the pause began, Neely downplayed concerns brought up earlier this month by forward Brad Marchand, who said that older teams might have a tougher time getting in a groove after the lengthy pause.

“I just know our group, especially the veteran guys, they’re so professional, and they all know their careers are ticking down. They’ve played more years than they have in front of them, and they see the opportunity here,” Neely said. “My guess is because of the group that we have and the opportunity that’s in front of us and how many years they feel they may have left to compete, they’ll be ready to go.”