Kris Versteeg shares thoughts on NHL return to play

Former NHL player and southern Alberta native, Kris Versteeg recently placed third in CBC’s Battle of the Blades. As a finalist Versteeg raised $15,000 towards the Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society, which helps Aboriginal children. The two-time Stanley Cup champ also spoke about the upcoming NHL season, potentially not happening. Terms of an agreement with the NHL and NHLPA were settled four months ago, but now the league is hoping to obtain $300 million in concessions from players. If a deal with the NHL and NHLPA is not reached on the Return to Play, there will not be hockey this season.

“I know for me there’s no way. Even if I was in the NHL somehow, up until this point this would have for sure did it in,” says Versteeg, who retired from hockey back in April, “I would be done. I’m sure a lot of players in their mid thirties won’t be back in the leauge now”.

Last April the players agreed to accept a 28 percent pay cut due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.