Trying to gauge the reaction of NHL players to the NBA’s first in-season tournament starts with a long preamble to the question, and that’s the first obstacle.
It’s a lot of explaining, particularly for guys who aren’t basketball or soccer fans. Then they have questions, and sometimes more questions based off the answers.
After speaking with a handful of players on the Colorado Avalanche about whether or not an in-season tournament could work in the NHL, the general consensus was … intrigue, but also plenty of skepticism.
“It could be interesting,” Fredrik Olofsson said. “I think it could work, but the schedule is as intense as it already is.