Early road trips early in the season provide a chance for players to get to bond with new teammates and continue reconnecting with familiar faces. The pandemic that engulfed the world and caused unparalleled disruption did not spare the NHL. After months of uncertainty, players had to be content doing what they do best in tightly-controlled bubbles. However, with the virus getting under control, players can look forward to enjoying one of the best parts of the NHL season. They are optimistic the 56-games season will not be interrupted again. If you are an NHL fan and fancy your betting chances with your favourite team, you may want to consider heading over to sites like Comeon Canada to follow how your team is doing and see what other betting events are on offer.
Why this season will be different
2020 will go down as an unusual year in which many lost their loved ones, jobs, businesses and were confined to their homes. Fans were barred from visiting arenas to watch their favourite teams play. While there are still restrictions and protocols that have to be followed during this season, players will be grateful they can go on road trips.
Players will still miss the little things
The league came up with 213-pages of protocols as a caution to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus. This means that while players and coaches will be allowed in arenas, hotels, and airports, they will have to contend with some restrictions. They will not be allowed to have meals out of town or have team building events out of sight. The league has also opted to hold a 2-3 games series in the same city to avoid unnecessary travel. Players will also be assigned sitting spaces in flights to minimize contact. Even though players and coaches will be staying at the same hotel, they cannot visit each other in their rooms. When it comes to mealtimes, tables are spread out, and they are assigned seating spaces. This means they will not be bonding as much as they would like to. However, most of them understand that it is part of taking responsibility and following the laid down protocols to ensure everybody is safe during these testing times. The players will also need to understand that while it will be strange at first, they will have to adapt and grow into it before returning to normal.
Why players must adapt
The players will need to understand that they signed up for this and take out the positives. For example, staying in one place does have its benefits when it comes to bonding. It means the team can stay together, rather than having five players being somewhere, while another group is somewhere else. It is also important they understand that others are sacrificing more than them, such as the front line workers. Players will also spend more time together while on the road than when they are home.
