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This Week’s News
- Hurricanes Top 25 Under 25: #15, Jack Drury
- Hurricanes Top 25 Under 25: #14 Joey Keane
- Hurricanes preparing for start of 2021 season
- Taking a look at potential Canes’ taxi squad members
Reading Assignments
- Andrei’s ready, are you?
Can't wait to be back on the ice with the boys pic.twitter.com/nOtAUEU0gF
— Andrei Svechnikov (@ASvechnikov_37) December 21, 2020
- Sebastian Aho joins Mike and Michael this week on Canes Cast and they dive in to the holiday season. [Hurricanes]
- According to Elite Prospects, the Hurricanes have the 4th best prospect pool in the NHL. [Hurricanes]
- A water leak has caused more than $250,000 of damage to PNC Arena. [N&O]
- The Hurricanes have released a FAQ for Season Ticker Member’s to look over regarding their accounts now that we know there will not be any fans inside PNC Arena to start the season. [Hurricanes]
- Speaking of fans, at it stands four teams have already announced plans to host fans this season. Along with these four, the Blue Jackets will be submitting plans to their local officials in an attempt to host fans. The Blues and the Predators are in talks with their local officials as well. If Columbus and Nashville get approval that would mean the majority of the teams in the Central Division would be hosting fans this season with only Carolina, Chicago, and Detroit playing in front of empty arenas. [Fourth Period]
As of now, NHL teams who intend to have some fans in attendance when the 2020-21 season begins Jan. 13:
— Mark J. Burns (@markjburns88) December 23, 2020
-Coyotes
-Stars
-Panthers
-Lightning
For comparison’s sake, 6 NBA teams will have limited fans to start:
-Cavaliers
-Raptors (in Tampa)
-Jazz
-Pelicans
-Rockets
-Magic
- Free agent Mikael Granlund has re-signed with Nashville. Granlund had been linked to the Hurricanes over the past few months:
Hearing Mikael Granlund will return to NASH on a one-year deal, around $3.75M
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 22, 2020
- A few new COVID-19 policies will be in place for the upcoming season. One interesting one is players not being allowed to carpool to arenas. No word yet on if teams still plan to take group bus rides to and from airports
On the road, players "shall not patronize or enter internal venues other than the designated hotel, the practice facility or the game arena." So no going out for dinner, beers, or other extracurriculars.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) December 22, 2020
Not even allowed to use the hotel gym, pool or sauna.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) December 22, 2020
- The NHL and NHLPA have announced a few rule changes including a big change to off-sides that will go in to effect this season. [NHLPA]
- The Canucks remain hopeful to play in Vancouver at some point this season, but for now officials in British Columbia are not willing to budge on the NHL’s plans. [Sportsnet]
- The same goes for the San Jose Sharks who have announced they will begin training camp and potentially play games in Arizona. [Sportsnet]
- NHL teams have begun to unveil advertisements on helmets that will be used to help offset expenditures this season. [AP]
- NBCSN will make history when it airs the NWHL’s 2021 Isobel Cup Semifinals and Final live on Feb. 4-5. [NBCSN]