The NHL has landed on Edmonton and Toronto as the two hub cities for its return, and those cities were chosen "almost by default" after a string of developments caused the league to alter its thinking, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. Las Vegas "for the longest time ... seemed to be the No. 1 locked-in choice," and it seemed like it would be paired with Vancouver. However, Vancouver "wasn't entirely satisfied with the NHL protocols on testing and some of the other things and decided to withdraw itself from the running." Toronto then replaced Vancouver "as recently as this last weekend" before the positive coronavirus cases "spiked in Vegas." That led to Edmonton landing as the other hub ("SportsCentre," TSN, 7/1). Sportsnet's Chris Johnston noted the NHL's "hope from the very outset ... was to have one Canadian city and U.S. city for the hubs." However, things "changed on them by the way things have spread, particularly in the United States." Edmonton had been "hanging around all along as a place where we haven't seen much spread of the disease." Johnston: "They're able to create a pretty good hub right around the arena there in ice district there in Edmonton. Toronto being the lone eastern place that's been left also was viewed as a pretty good bid." No formal announcement from the NHL is "expected until the ongoing CBA negotiations are completed" ("Instant Analysis," Sportsnet, 7/1).
MAKING THEIR PICKS: In Toronto, Mike Zwolinski reports the 12 Eastern Conference teams are "expected to gather in Toronto, with Scotiabank Arena serving as the main game centre." The Coca-Cola Coliseum, home to the AHL Marlies, and the surrounding CNE complex "could also host games, practices and the players themselves." The games in Edmonton are "set to be played at Rogers Place, with Western Conference teams bubbled in the Ice District, a multi-use area being developed around the rink." It is "not certain yet whether teams will need to travel to Edmonton or Toronto to quarantine in the bubble or be allowed to quarantine at their home cities before reporting to their hubs" (TORONTO STAR, 7/2). THE ATHLETIC’s Michael Russo noted there was some thought initially that the NHL “didn’t want a host city’s team to play in its home arena, and have the bells and whistles of their own practice facility.” However, with “no fans in the stands, the NHL didn’t think it was a big deal if the Oilers played at Rogers Place and the Maple Leafs played at Scotiabank Arena.” The league concluded it “simply made the most sense from a travel time and cost perspective for the 12 teams in each conference who will resume play to stay on their side of the continent.” Players from the Oilers and Maple Leafs “will live inside the bubble with the rest of the teams” instead at home (THEATHLETIC.com, 7/1).
HOW VEGAS LOST ITS BET: In Las Vegas, David Schoen notes the city was a "leading candidate" to be a hub, but the "recent spike in positive COVID-19 cases in Clark County forced the league to reverse course." As recently as a week ago, Las Vegas' selection "seemed a foregone conclusion thanks to its ample hotel space on the Strip in proximity to T-Mobile Arena." MGM Resorts Int'l "spearheaded the bid and would have used its properties to house players and staff" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 7/2). In St. Louis, Jim Thomas writes the NHL all along "seemed intent on placing one hub city in Canada and another in the United States." The league "seemed enamored with the prospect of playing in Las Vegas from the start, because of the quality and quantity of hotel accommodations, and the proximity of those hotels to T-Mobile Arena and the Vegas Strip." Thomas: "A great idea, to be sure, in just about any set of circumstances. Except a pandemic" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 7/2). In Toronto, Dave Feschuk writes, "Make no mistake: It was the alarming, apparently unabating spike in cases of the virus in the U.S. -- and specifically in Clark County, where Las Vegas is situated -- that brought us to a place where it looks as though the Cup, if it is awarded at all this year, will be handed over on Canadian soil." If a bubble "proves leaky in Toronto or Edmonton, where cases have been on the decline, the risk to players is theoretically a lot lower than if one spouts a leak in Nevada" (TORONTO STAR, 7/2).
TAKING ADVANTAGE: In Edmonton, Terry Jones writes Edmonton bid execs "aren't going to let the fact there won't be fans in the stands or interaction with the players mean that getting the bid is the end of it." The "idea is that you don't have to have fans in the stands for a hockey city to embrace an event like this." Jones: "With proper social distancing, you can have a hockey festival." The bid execs "have been waiting with hopes of exploring the opportunity, in conversation with the Province of Alberta, about what they might be able to do should Edmonton be chosen to be a hub city" (EDMONTON SUN, 7/2).
