So, the NHL has a plan in place for how it will proceed with its 2019-20 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the next question is, where will they play?
The NHL will resume play at just two “hub cities,” one for the Eastern Conference and one for the Western Conference, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Tuesday. There currently are 10 cities in the running, almost all of which are home to a potential Stanley Cup contender.
Here’s the full list:
1. Chicago, Ill.
2. Columbus, Ohio
3. Dallas, Texas
4. Edmonton, Alb.
5. Las Vegas, Nev.
6. Los Angeles, Calif.
7. Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.
8. Pittsburgh, Penn.
9. Toronto, Ont.
10. Vancouver, B.C.
Bettman anticipates the league will enter Phase 2 (small group practices) of the league’s reopening plan sometime in June, but does not anticipate Phase 3 (reopening formal training camps) will be underway until July 1 at earliest. So the NHL has plenty of time to make a sound decision.
