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Quick Hits: The Marlboro Country Edition

In Red Wings Land

31 Thoughts: Tavares, Gagner blazing a trail in minor hockey involvement
The most prestigious organization in that league is the Toronto Marlboros. NHL alumni include Connor McDavid, the Hughes brothers, Jason Spezza, Sam Gagner and John Tavares. Gagner and Tavares left the Marlboros a long time ago, but it’s clear the Marlboros never left them.

They are in the process of “buying” or “taking control of the board.” I used the phrase “buying” on Headlines during last Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, and was immediately corrected by a couple of people who pointed out the Marlboros’ own website lists them as a “not-for-profit” organization. Others, however, point out that the world is rarely black and white — there are always shades of grey.

As always, 31 Thoughts is packed with enough stories for a week of Quick Hits. The story that starts the column off includes Red Wing Sam Gagner, and it’s pretty interesting.

Looks like Detroit is going to try to make Svech happen again.

Sure, fine, whatever.

Around the NHL

The NHL vs. COVID – Latest updates on postponements, rapid testing, playoff plans, financials
Players to whom I’ve spoken are generally willing to comply with this season’s stringent rules, understanding the sacrifices needed to stage a season at all. They know the stakes.

“I’d say it’s about 75% [of the players] on every team that are taking it seriously,” one NHL veteran said. “Wearing their masks and staying home and doing things to help this get back to normal.”

However, a few players have quietly remarked about what they perceive to be performative action by the league, or double standards.

Said one veteran player: “It’s funny to me that we can go at each other on the ice, sit next to each other on the bench, [do] all of these things that are pretty close contact, then the league needs to police every other interaction. Obviously I get it, but I’m not sure how much some of these measures are minimizing our risk. There’s been a lot of guys on the COVID list, which is inevitable if we’re going to play right now, especially here [in the U.S.], but some of the rules just feel like Band-Aids.”

There is a ton of info in this article as well. I could have picked 5 things to excerpt, easily. Some of the topics that have come up in our comments are represented in this excerpt and elsewhere.

Bonus Article

This article is wild. It’s behind a paywall, so I’m putting it in here as a bonus link.

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