All NHL players are being paid for the games they aren’t playing in because of the league suspension due to COVID-19.
In contrast, arena staff who would also have been working those events will not be getting another paycheck any time soon.
Many NHL teams have committed to paying their employees (some, through the end of March; others, until events resume as normal). In some cases, the owners of the teams pledged to do so only after individual players stepped up on their own accord, like the Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky.
Team owners have enough money to pay the arena staff during the suspended season.
These are the team owners who are choosing to leave their most vulnerable employees without a paycheck on virtually no notice.
Every name in bold is a billionaire.
The Naughty List
- Buffalo Sabres – Terrence Pegula – March 14, announced employees will be paid–for canceled events–by a combination of players, staff, the Buffalo Sabres Foundation, and Pegula Sports and Entertainment. Currently, NHL events are “suspended,” not canceled. March 20, PSE lays off hospitality staff–and will not hold jobs for them. Employees will have to reapply for their current position with no guarantee of keeping the same pay rate.
The Medium List
- Dallas Stars – Tom Gaglardi – March 12, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he would pay employees for Mavs games, and that they had “already started the process of having a program in place” for other American Airlines Center employees.
- Nashville Predators – Herb Fritch, largest stakeholder and chairman of ownership group (approx. $600 million) – March 12, team committed to paying for “already scheduled shifts and will try to make a plan moving forward for other events lost” including four Preds games.
- New York Rangers – James L. Dolan – March 13, they said they have a short-term plan and were working on long-term. March 16, they announced that they would pay employees through March 22, but were still working on long-term.
The Nice List
- Anaheim Ducks – Henry Samueli – March 13, Henry and Susan Samueli “will continue paying full-time and part-time employees who were scheduled to work at the arena through March 31.”
- Arizona Coyotes – Alex Meruelo – March 14, Meruelo said they are “working on a solution to assist the team members” and that “details will be released in the next few days.” March 16, they announced they would provide full pay for all games scheduled.
- Boston Bruins – Jeremy Jacobs –
- March 13, in response to a request from the Boston Herald, they said: “We are actively exploring support options and will have further information in the coming days.”
- March 14, Brad Marchand shared a GoFundMe which has raised $34,807 of its $250,000 goal. $6,000 of that came from Bruins players.
- March 18, Boston Herald reported employees were “frustrated with the lack of communication.”
- March 21, “The Jacobs Family has established a $1.5 million fund for the Boston Bruins and TD Garden part-time gameday associates who will be financially burdened if the six remaining regular season Bruins games are not played.”
- Calgary Flames – N. Murray Edwards – March 13, the Flames announced they would not be paying employees for canceled or postponed events. A fan then started GoFundMe, which raised $81k ($62k of which came from Flames players and partners). March 15, soon after the GoFundMe’s announcement, CEO and President of the Calgary Sports and Entertainment announced the stance had changed. “Subsequent to the release of our previous communication, we have obtained a number of additional pieces of information including communicating directly with many part-time employees. This has prompted us to reach out to you today and advise that we will now be adopting an income bridge support program for qualifying employees.”
- Carolina Hurricanes – Tom Dundon – March 14, Dundon said “We’ll do something,” and the plan would be announced March 16. March 17, they committed to paying employees.
- Chicago Blackhawks – Rocky Wirtz – March 13, Wirtz and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf announced they will be paying their game-day workers through the end of the NBA and NHL regular seasons after both leagues suspended operations.”
- Colorado Avalanche – Ann Walton Kroenke – March 14, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment committed to paying hourly and PT staff for 30 days and “asked [their] vendors and partners to do the same.”
- Columbus Blue Jackets – John P. McConnell – March 16, the team and CBJ Arena Management announce they will pay game-day staff for remaining scheduled home games.
- Detroit Red Wings – Chris Ilitch – March 14, Ilith Holding had set up a one million dollar fund to pay employees. The Detroit News noted that fund would likely not cover food and beverage employees who are contracted out to Sportservice.
- Edmonton Oilers – Daryl Katz – March 14, Oilers announce all 1,650 Rogers Place employees “affected by a temporary halt in our operations will receive financial payment to bridge them between their maximum EI benefits and their regular average earnings for remaining regular-season games.”
- Florida Panthers – Vincent Viola – March 13, employees will be paid by Sergei Bobrovsky and other players; the team will cover any additional amount needed.
- Los Angeles Kings – Philip Anschutz – March 14, LA Lakers, Clippers, Kings, and STAPLES Center commit to paying all 2,800 event staff through the end of scheduled NBA and NHL season.
- Minnesota Wild – Craig Leipold – March 17, the Wild announced that they would pay all part-time employees for their six remaining home games. Part of those funds came from the players, all of whom contributed.
- Montreal Canadiens – Geoff Molson – March 15, the organization announced they would increase benefits for employees eligible for employment insurance, and will pay employees who are not eligible 75% of what they would have been paid for the remaining regular-season Canadiens and Laval Rockets games. March 16, they announced Canadiens players would make additional contributions for game-day employees.
- New Jersey Devils – Joshua Harris – March 13, Harris and David Blitzer announced they will pay for all postponed Prudential Center events.
- New York Islanders – Scott D. Malkin (approx. $200 million) – March 14, reported that the Brooklyn Nets would pay for Barclays Center’s canceled events.
- Ottawa Senators – Eugene Melnyk – March 16, the Senators have “committed to developing a program.” March 17, Hailey Salvian reported, “Melnyk says he will be paying part-time staff for the remaining 4 #Sens home games and remaining 6 Belleville Sens home games in regular season and the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.”
- Philadelphia Flyers – Brian L. Roberts – March 13, Comcast Spectacor will pay arena employees during the suspension.
- Pittsburgh Penguins – Ronald Burkle – March 13, employees will be paid by players and two charitable Penguins foundations.
- San Jose Sharks – Hasso Plattner – March 13, Sharks Sports and Entertainment will pay PT employees for all scheduled Sharks and Barracuda games until April.
- St. Louis Blues – Tom Stillman (net worth unknown) – March 16, Blues announced the funds will come from Blues players, local donors, fans–who are being asked to donate–and a $100k donation from one long-time Blues fan. An additional “sizeable” amount will come from the Blues for Kids charitable foundation. Blues for Kids will also administer the fund. No information is available regarding financial contributions from any members of the ownership group.
- Tampa Bay Lightning – Jeff Vinik (approx. $600 million) – March 13, Vinik announced he will compensate employees for all missed events through the end of March.
- Toronto Maple Leafs – Larry Tanenbaum – March 12, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment announced they were working on a plan. March 15, MLSE announced a partnership between the Leafs, Jays, Raptors, TFC and Argonauts, “to create a special assistance fund to further assist arena/stadium and support staff.”
- Vancouver Canucks – Francesco Aquilini – March 14, Aquilini announced: “Canucks Sports & Entertainment has initiated a program, based on individual need, that will help any part-time employee who requires support to avoid financial hardship during this unexpected employment disruption.”
- Vegas Golden Knights – Bill Foley (approx. $500 million) – March 19, VGK Twitter posted a statement from goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who committed $100,000 of his own money. Part of the statement reads “I hope that these contributions not only help those in need, but also inspire others who are in fortunate enough positions to step up and find ways to help too.”
- Washington Capitals – Ted Leonsis – March 13, Leonsis committed to paying all “part-time employees for all 16 events canceled.”
- Winnipeg Jets – Mark Chipman (approx. $500 million) and David Thomson (approx. $38 *billion*) – March 12, stated they would not be paying employees for events cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19. March 15, they reversed course and decided to pay for the four remaining Jets home games that were scheduled in March.
Some of these ownership situations are more complicated than others. For instance, not all arenas are owned by the same person or group who own the hockey team that plays there, and some arenas’ staff is contracted through other parties. With that being said: we have done our best to present the current situation accurately and as fairly as possible.
Hopefully, these NHL teams and owners will step up soon, and render this article obsolete. Until then we will be updating as more information or decisions are made public.
This post has been updated to include a list of teams that have announced they will have a plan, but have not confirmed it will involve paying arena employees for canceled or postponed events.
Headline photo: Sikander Iqbal
