The Lightning by eliminating the Bruins in five games advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, which are set to be played in Edmonton, but they currently "don’t have a spot" at the J.W. Marriott in Edmonton, according to Diana Nearhos of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. With both Western Conference semifinals still ongoing, the Stars, Avalanche, Canucks and Golden Knights are still at the J.W. Marriott and the Lightning are "in a holding pattern." As for staying in Toronto, the NHL has an agreement with Hotel X, and the hotel’s website shows it "becomes available for public bookings again on Sept. 8, the day the conference finals were estimated to begin." So the league "may be able to stay there until that date." The league "could decide to start the Eastern Conference final in Toronto while the Western Conference semifinals finish up in Edmonton," but even when they are not playing in bubbles, the NHL "doesn’t usually start one series of a round more than a day or two before the other." But everyone wants to "keep things moving in the bubble." Spending so much time away from their families has been a "concern for players from the beginning discussions about hub play," and the compromise was trying to get families to "join them for the conference finals and Stanley Cup final" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 9/3).
