Can this NHL season survive a 45 day pause? If so, how can the playoffs work?

No hockey. No problem for Brian Metzer and me during our weekly hockey podcast!

Eh, who am I kidding? It’s a problem.

But Metzer — the Penguins Radio Network host on 105.9 the X — and I make the most of it.

We pontificate over how the NHL could survive this summer if the league is allowed to resume.

I’ve given my scenario for a way to make that happen. Essentially, ditch the last few games of the regular season if need be. The top three teams from each division make the playoffs, as would usually be the case. Then, make teams Nos. 7-10 in each conference square off in two play-in series. Have the games occur in one venue, no travel, best-of-three, akin to what we see in college hockey.

Let’s see what Metz thinks of that idea.

We also kick around the idea of a return for Jake Guentzel and the notion of pushing back next year’s schedule as a way to accommodate a late-ending 2020.

After all, it sounds like hockey may not start back up for another 45 days at this point.

As far as the pressing news of the day, though, Metzer and I talk about our experiences with covid-19 grocery store hoarders, a hot item of interest at the sporting goods store and troublesome concerns about some looming concert dates.

Listen: Tim Benz and Brian Metzer talk about how the NHL might come back from their pause and how the playoffs could work