Gary Bettman responds to owners suggesting full shutdown of 2020-21 season

Earlier this week, ESPN came out with a bomb, reporting that some owners across the National Hockey League have suggested they would prefer no season if no fans were able to attend. 

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we still have no clue when the campaign would get underway with many reports stating that the calendar would need at least 48 games for the season to be held, while others state the NHL would have to wrap up its postseason before June 22 in order to let NBC Sports get all the broadcasting spots to present the Olympics. 

There is so much happening, fans have no clue what’s really going on. However, on Tuesday night, Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser tried to make sense of the news on PTI and clearly stated that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is not willing to listen to these owners. 

“Bettman responded that the NHL cannot afford to cancel,” states Kornheiser. 

“[No season] didn’t make any sense a few years ago when they didn’t come back and had no postseason! I mean that was stupid and I thought it hurt the product long term,” adds Wilbon while referring to the lockout. 

“What we’re seeing now is that if people are dislodged from their scheduling habits, meaning viewing habits, they may be dislodged permanently. Does the NHL want to risk that?”

Both Wilbon and Kornheiser cannot believe some owners would even be serious about this suggestion and are dumbfounded that a decision has yet to be made about the start date of the upcoming season, while the NBA is targeting Dec, 22nd to set on kick things off. They believe one of the scenarios floating around, the option of four divisions, including the all-Canadian one, is the best to make sure a season takes place. 

Do you agree?