First Diagnosed Case of Coronavirus in NHL

On March 17, 2020, the Ottawa Senators announced one of their players has tested positive for the coronavirus. The undisclosed player has mild symptoms and is in isolation. The team is currently in the process of notifying anyone who may have come in close contact with the player and team doctors have asked all members of the Senators organization to remain isolated, monitor their health, and seek advice of team medical staff should they experience any symptoms.

In a statement, the team said, “The health …

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NHL Players’ Return to the Winter Olympics May be Closer than Expected

On February 8, 2020, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tweeted that “the [International Olympic Committee] and [International Ice Hockey Federation] indicated a willingness . . . to address NHL issues to get players to go to 2022 Olympics.” This is a significant change in the NHL’s previous anti-Olympic stance.

The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea marked the first time in 20 years that NHL players were absent. The players were overwhelmingly in favor of playing in the 2018 games; however, the NHL balked at the …

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NHL and IMG Arena Announce New Live Stream Sports Betting Service

On Feb. 18, 2020, the NHL and IMG Arena announced a new partnership agreement that will allow sports betting operators to live stream selected out-of-market NHL games. The goal of the agreement is to get sports bettors–specifically, NHL sports bettors–more involved in NHL games that they bet on, but normally could not watch.

Since 2013, IMG Arena, a London-based company that specializes in bringing sport and the sports betting industry closer together, has successfully provided live streamed NHL games at sports betting operators across Europe. The …

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Seattle Kraken or Sockeyes: How Legal Implications May Influence Seattle’s Decision

Numerous reports have surfaced regarding the new Seattle NHL expansion team’s name. Names such as the Seattle Cougars, Emeralds, Rainiers, Sea Lions, Totems, Kraken, and Sockeyes have been listed as possible options. However, legal implications may force the NHL and the team to narrow their list.

In December 2018, the NHL awarded an expansion franchise to Seattle. Since the expansion was awarded, fans have endlessly speculated about the team’s name and logo. The team, not backing down from an obvious marketing opportunity, continues to tease …

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Green Day’s NHL All-Star Performance Could Raise Questions About Recent Partnership

On January 25, 2020, the NHL hosted its annual All-Star Game in St. Louis, Missouri. The two-day skills competition and All-Star Game appeared to go on largely unnoticed – an ongoing thorn in the side of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. That is, until punk rock legends Green Day took the stage during the second intermission of the game.

Those watching live heard the band’s lead singer, Billie Joe Armstrong, yell several expletives. Apparently, NBC censors were scrambling to keep up with the band’s performance, …

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Small Quebec Hockey Company in Legal Battle with Hockey Giant

A potential legal battle in the Quebec Superior Court is brewing between two hockey manufacturing companies and has been dubbed a commercial struggle between David and Goliath. Équipements de gardien de but Michel Lefebvre (EGB) is a Terrebonne, Quebec, family-owned and operated hockey manufacturing company that has been making elite goalie equipment since the 1970s. Some of the most renowned NHL goalies of recent memory–including Ken Dryden, Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy, Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph, Roberto Luongo, Marc-André Fleury, and Carey Price–have used EGB goalie …

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Players’ Unions v. Jock Taxes: An Inside Look at This Waging Legal Battle

Last week, we reported that the NHL Players’ Association, MLB Players’ Association, and NFL Players’ Association sued the city of Pittsburgh for charging a fee on nonresident professional athletes that play within the city. These fees, often referred to as jock taxes, have come under fire over the past few years.

The players’ associations are not challenging the legality of jock taxes in general, about which you can continue reading here. It is well established that states and municipalities have the right to tax …

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NFL, MLB, and NHL Players’ Associations Sue Pittsburgh Over “Unconstitutional” Athletes Fee

The city of Pittsburgh is being challenged for a fee it is charging  nonresident professional athletes who play for Pittsburgh teams.

The NHL Players’ Association, MLB Players’ Association, and NFL Players’ Association, along with baseball player Jeff Francoeur and hockey players Kyle Palmieri and Scott Wilson, have sued the city of Pittsburgh. The city currently imposes a three percent general revenue income fee on professional athletes who reside out of state. Athletes who live in the city, however, pay only a one percent fee. Pittsburgh …

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TCPA Lawsuit Against Tampa Bay Lightning Reaches Class Settlement

A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against the Tampa Bay Lightning, in which a fan claimed that the NHL team violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) by flooding him with unwanted text messages.

Plaintiff Brian Hanley claimed that the team violated the TCPA by using a bait-and-switch tactic. Hanley was under the impression that he had entered a ticket contest for a future Lightning game by texting a short code number. Instead, he had inadvertently signed up for an advertising …

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Federal Judge Dismisses Two Ex-NHL Players’ Concussion Lawsuits

A Minnesota federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against the NHL by two former players, finding that the court lacks jurisdiction over the suit.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson dismissed two lawsuits, filed by Andre Deveaux and Todd Harvey, without prejudice. Judge Nelson reasoned that the players lacked a connection to Minnesota for jurisdiction. Deveaux and Harvey never played for a Minnesota hockey team, nor did they present enough evidence linking them to the state.

As we previously reported, Judge Nelson oversaw a …

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