NHL plans for 100th anniversary season with or without Olympics

TORONTO — The NHL is making plans for 2017-18 with two schedules.

One is for a season with an Olympic break in February, the other is if the league decides not to send its players to South Korea for the Winter Olympics. Either way, the 100th anniversary season is expected to begin Oct. 4.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Friday at the NHL Centennial Classic that the league is trying to be prepared either way. Still, it appears the owners don’t want to take an Olympic break.

“From our board’s perspective, there has to be a compelling reason for us to go to the Olympics,” Daly said. “And at this point, as I stand here now, we’re searching for that reason.

“The question is, does anything change? At this point, nothing has happened that would change where we were three weeks ago.”

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is expected to shed more light on the matter Sunday when he attends the Centennial Classic. A decision is expected by late January.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

The NHL kicks off its yearlong celebration of its 100th anniversary Sunday with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings playing outside at Exhibition Stadium. As part of the festivities, it unveiled a traveling museum that chronicles the 100 years of the league.

As of now, the exhibit will not be visiting Las Vegas. But with the NHL Awards Show scheduled to be in town in late June, it makes sense to have the exhibit there and even before the awards in time for the expansion draft June 21 when the Golden Knights’ selections are revealed.

FIRST OUTDOOR REMATCH

There have been 19 outdoor NHL games, and the Centennial Classic will be the first rematch. Toronto and Detroit faced off in 2014 at Michigan Stadium, where the Leafs defeated the Red Wings 3-2 in a shootout before a record crowd of 105,481.

This is the fourth time the Red Wings have played outdoors and the second for the Maple Leafs.

BATTLE OF BANKS

The Centennial Classic is being played at Exhibition Stadium. But the facility’s actual name is BMO Field.

Why change the name? Because the NHL’s title sponsor for the game is another bank — Scotiabank. The league did not cover up the signage for BMO.

ADIOS, JARO

Too many complaints and too many soft goals sealed Jaroslav Halak’s fate, as the New York Islanders put the veteran goaltender on waivers Friday.

Halak, one of three goalies on the Isles’ roster, was unhappy with the arrangement, even though he was getting the majority of the starts. Halak had a 6-8-5 record with a 3.23 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. The final indignity came Thursday in St. Paul, when he allowed four goals on 24 shots in the Islanders’ 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild.

Halak cleared waivers Saturday and was expected to report to the Islanders’ American Hockey League farm team in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Thomas Greiss and JF Berube will share the goaltending duties for the Islanders.

Halak will be paid $2.5 million for the remainder of the season. He makes $4.5 million a year and has one year remaining on his contract.

The 31-year-old probably will be exposed in the NHL expansion draft, but the Golden Knights might be leery of selecting him because of the price tag and his lack of durability the past two years. He has battled an assortment of injuries that has limited his time in goal.

AROUND THE KNIGHTS’ TABLE

When The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Bill Foley was selling his Whitefish, Montana, ranch, there were rumors that the Golden Knights’ majority owner was in need of cash.

Not true, Foley said.

“We’re there maybe 10 days a year,” Foley said of the ranch, which is near the Canadian border. “I’ve got a place in Deer Lodge (the Rock Creek Cattle Company) where all my friends are, where I play golf. We’re not leaving Montana.”

The Whitefish property, which is on 21 acres and has an 11,500-square-foot mansion along with four smaller guest houses, has an asking price is $26.7 million. Foley purchased the property for $26.6 million in 2005.

Foley also owns homes in Summerlin; Napa, California; Jacksonville, Florida; and New Zealand. He said it makes sense to consolidate his holdings, but he’s not sure he’ll get his asking price.

“It’s going to be tough to sell,” he said. “It’s going to take a very special buyer.”

Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow @stevecarprj on Twitter.