Post by hc17 on May 29, 2020 13:23:09 GMT -5
WORCESTER — In normal times, ECHL commissioner Ryan Crellin would be all over the place watching his league work through the long and dramatic process of crowning a champion.
Nothing is normal right now, and nobody seems to be sure when it will be, so Crellin drove up here from New Jersey on Thursday to visit with the Railers and talk to a reporter.
Crellin also drove back home Thursday, so it was a long day. The ECHL is like every other minor league these days in every other sport. It has hopes and plans but no guarantees. Crellin met with the Railers’ new president, Stephanie Ramey, and chief operating officer Mike Myers.
The league is going under the assumption that it will restart at some point in the 2020-21 season and is in the process of figuring out how that will work.
“We have a plan, but there are a lot of contingencies off that plan,” Crellin said. “We developed a base schedule a couple of months ago that starts in October. So you have a base to build around, but there are so many variables in place. We’ve mapped out models, and we’ll have some decisions to make over the summer, but there’s no need to make a decision here in May.
“The hockey season is five months away. It may wind up being six or seven months away. Let’s see what happens over the coming weeks. We have the benefit of the fact other leagues will probably start up before we do.”
The Railers have not lost a game since Ramey was hired as president, but to some extent, that’s because they haven’t played one. She was announced as team president in April and began her new job in May.
“It’s been like going 0 to 60 miles (per hour) in 30 seconds,” Ramey said. “There’s been a lot to take in. Ryan and I are doing our orientation today in terms of the league. Our team is working to revamp the website, defining what the overall definition of our brand is. I’ve been very impressed by the team here; Mike’s been a great partner, and I’m getting acquainted with a lot of our sponsors.
“I’ve got a lot of ideas, and I think between the two of us, it’s going to result in a really great product.”
Myers said the Railers are in the final stages of nailing down their player affiliation for next season and have come to an agreement as far as hiring an assistant coach for David Cunniff. Both of those developments should be announced fairly soon.
“We want to make sure we put a winning product on the ice,” Myers added.
There are so many variables at present that it is hard to project exactly what the ECHL will look like next season.
“We are in 19 states and two Canadian provinces,” Crellin said, “and until the governors and politicians tell us we can play, it’s out of our control. We’ve got a pretty big puzzle to piece together, and we’re working on it.”
The ECHL has not yet lost any teams from last year, but there remain many variables.
“Can all of our teams even open their doors?” Crellin said. “Some might not be allowed to play hockey, and am I worried about that — yes. There isn’t one national set of guidelines. They are all different situations. Are you in a small building or a big building? Social distancing will vary by jurisdiction, and you have to move forward as a league.
“Nobody can play by themselves.”
And as of now, nobody knows when they’ll play again, period.
Nothing is normal right now, and nobody seems to be sure when it will be, so Crellin drove up here from New Jersey on Thursday to visit with the Railers and talk to a reporter.
Crellin also drove back home Thursday, so it was a long day. The ECHL is like every other minor league these days in every other sport. It has hopes and plans but no guarantees. Crellin met with the Railers’ new president, Stephanie Ramey, and chief operating officer Mike Myers.
The league is going under the assumption that it will restart at some point in the 2020-21 season and is in the process of figuring out how that will work.
“We have a plan, but there are a lot of contingencies off that plan,” Crellin said. “We developed a base schedule a couple of months ago that starts in October. So you have a base to build around, but there are so many variables in place. We’ve mapped out models, and we’ll have some decisions to make over the summer, but there’s no need to make a decision here in May.
“The hockey season is five months away. It may wind up being six or seven months away. Let’s see what happens over the coming weeks. We have the benefit of the fact other leagues will probably start up before we do.”
The Railers have not lost a game since Ramey was hired as president, but to some extent, that’s because they haven’t played one. She was announced as team president in April and began her new job in May.
“It’s been like going 0 to 60 miles (per hour) in 30 seconds,” Ramey said. “There’s been a lot to take in. Ryan and I are doing our orientation today in terms of the league. Our team is working to revamp the website, defining what the overall definition of our brand is. I’ve been very impressed by the team here; Mike’s been a great partner, and I’m getting acquainted with a lot of our sponsors.
“I’ve got a lot of ideas, and I think between the two of us, it’s going to result in a really great product.”
Myers said the Railers are in the final stages of nailing down their player affiliation for next season and have come to an agreement as far as hiring an assistant coach for David Cunniff. Both of those developments should be announced fairly soon.
“We want to make sure we put a winning product on the ice,” Myers added.
There are so many variables at present that it is hard to project exactly what the ECHL will look like next season.
“We are in 19 states and two Canadian provinces,” Crellin said, “and until the governors and politicians tell us we can play, it’s out of our control. We’ve got a pretty big puzzle to piece together, and we’re working on it.”
The ECHL has not yet lost any teams from last year, but there remain many variables.
“Can all of our teams even open their doors?” Crellin said. “Some might not be allowed to play hockey, and am I worried about that — yes. There isn’t one national set of guidelines. They are all different situations. Are you in a small building or a big building? Social distancing will vary by jurisdiction, and you have to move forward as a league.
“Nobody can play by themselves.”
And as of now, nobody knows when they’ll play again, period.