Dater’s Daily: NHL Not Looking to Jump COVID Queue

Happy Saturday. Only 19 more sleeps ’til 2020 is over. Worst year ever. On to some NHL notes and links and thoughts…

• The NHL is NOT going to be trying to pull strings to get everyone (players, coaches, staff, etc, etc.) vaccinated ahead of the general public. There were a couple of “reports” that hinted to that effect this week, but NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly vociferously denied that to Colorado Hockey Now. “We aren’t counting on having access to the vaccines at any time of the upcoming season,” Daly told me.
• Have these last four or five weeks not been some of the most boring and uneventful in our entire lives? I’m not just speaking as a hockey guy here. I am in a bit of a rut of late, I admit. I am OVER all this $#$%.
• It really was amazing today that the Avs received word that three of their top prospects will play for Team Canada in the upcoming World Juniors. This team is going to be stacked for a good long time.
• So, my laptop got hacked a couple weeks ago. I scraped by using an extra one belonging to my wife for a while before buying the used one I’m typing on now, on eBay. It weighs about 30 pounds – no lie – but it’s workin’ just fine. Got it for $189, but HP laptop with a ton of gadgetry. Stupid purchase or smart purchase?
• Interesting to keep track of what’s going on in San Jose, speaking of the COVID-19 pandemic. It looks like the San Jose Sharks might have to be flexible in terms of both where their training camp is held, and where they might play their home games this season. Sheng Meng has the story. (San Jose Hockey Now)
• Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley did his best to shut down NHL trade rumors around Max Pacioretty. “He’s not being shopped…”  (Vegas Hockey Now)
• The Boston Bruins are now worth a Billion dollars. That’s $1,000,000,000. (Boston Hockey Now)
• One of the thousands of manufactured media mock drafts regarding the Seattle Kraken you’re bound to read by next summer (Hockey News)
• I can NOT believe there is still no agreement between Comcast and Altitude.
• Do I think Erik Johnson will waive his no-move clause to help out the Avs with the next expansion draft? You know what, I’m unsure. I think EJ is a proud guy who isn’t going to just give away the kinds of things he’s worked and bargained for, like that no-move clause. That said, he might think it’s not a huge deal and just do Joe Sakic a favor. I seriously doubt the Kraken would take him anyway, and that he’d get to still stay an Av beyond that, because I think Sakic is a loyal guy and would reward EJ for doing that.