Category: Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: NHL playoff format set with four rounds of Stanley Cup action; NHL Hockey Diversity Alliance gives attention to discrimination in the game

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NHL image: The NHL announces the format of the qualifiers, conference finals and the Stanley Cup Finals

On Headline Sports with Jessica:

#1 Jessica with the return of the NHL and NBA these are contacts sports, these are open pore sports how can c0ncerned should the players be in avoiding contacting Covid-19 once the games start?

#2 The NHL and the players have agreed on the format a five game qualifier, round robins, conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final. The qualifier will be a five game format, the first, second and Finals will be seven game formats

#3 The team that wins 19 games will end up being the NHL Stanley Cup Finals Champion having to go through four rounds to get the coveted Stanley Cup.

#4 Currently there are only 28 minority players in the NHL the issue of race was brought into the forefront after the George Floyd killing by Minneapolis Police. The Hockey Diversity Alliance was formed with San Jose Sharks Evander Kane and former Calgary Flames Akim Aliu will be helping developing the Alliance. The Alliance designated purpose is to shine a light on discrimination in hockey which is overwhelming white and Aliu said he had to face racial discrimination for years during his NHL career.

#5 Jessica the next question is when organizations similar to the Diversity Alliance are set up when passions cool from the George Floyd killing will people just forget and the NHL could go back to business as usual?

Jessica does Headline Sports every other Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica Kwong: Stanley Cup Playoffs on the NHL drawing board; Lillard won’t play last four regular games

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The Portland Trailblazers Damion Lillard says he wants to sit out the last four NBA regular season games because it would be like an exhibition game since the Blazers are already in the playoffs (USA Today file photo)

Headline Sports podcast with Jessica:

#1 The NHL is back and their aiming to get the Stanley Cup Playoffs started either in June or July with 24 teams participating. There’s always nuances to every new format there will be 12 teams in the East and 12 in the West. Seven NHL teams didn’t make the cut.

#2 NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated that health and safety issues is up next after getting an agreement from the players on the playoff format and how the draft will work.

#3 In principal Bettman and the players have agreed that the regular season is done and they will go for the playoffs as soon as everyone is tuned up after some practice sessions. The games will be played in front of empty arenas.

#4 Jessica, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers said that the NBA wants to play four regular season games to make up the difference before starting with the playoffs. The reasoning for that is to fulfill the NBA contract obligation to television. Lillard says he wants no part of that because what is the purpose of playing in a game that’s really an exhibition game and taking the chance of getting hurt before the playoffs.

#5 There have been some voices out there saying the NBA should just scrap the season and playoffs and start all over again in October when pre season basketball followed by the regular season gets going. The owners are anxious to get the television revenue question is will they get the kind of ratings they want with empty arenas and playing at this stage in the season?

Jessica does Headline Sports podcasts every other Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com