Edmonton's Rogers Place was previously used by the NHL during its season restart in hub citiesgetty images
The NHL "remains confident it can solve the situation with provincial officials from Ontario and British Columbia before Christmas," although there is no guarantee, which is "why the league is preparing to host the newly-formed all-Canadian division with Edmonton as a hub city," according to Bruce Garrioch of the OTTAWA SUN. British Columbia Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry yesterday said, "We just received the plan in the last few days. We're considering it." Henry continued, "We're not the only province that expressed concerns. We've given options back to the NHL." Garrioch notes the Quebec government "hasn't signed off" on the Canadiens playing games at an empty Bell Centre, but the "expectation is it eventually will." Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who yesterday confirmed a 28-day lockdown that will begin on Dec. 26, was "non-committal when asked if NHL teams from other parts of the country would be allowed to travel in and out of the province." Alberta "supports the NHL’s Return to Play protocols and would likely welcome the league back with open arms after success with the bubble last summer." The Alberta government has "already thrown its support behind the league and many believe Manitoba won't be an issue" for the Jets, either. The seven Canadian teams "want to play in their own rinks, but the Canucks are facing the biggest battle and that's why plans are being made to relocate the team to Edmonton if nothing can be resolved" (OTTAWA SUN, 12/22).
CONSERVATIVE APPRAOCH: Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre President & Medical Dir Dr. Brian Conway said the NHL and Canada "have to try and find the middle ground." He added, "The whole concept of a professional exemption to practise comes with some strings attached and players are going to be held to a higher standard." Henry during a COVID-19 briefing said, "The NHL and the Canucks in particular have a proven record of doing the right things and have been very strong in terms of the protocols. We're looking at this in detail and I've been talking to my colleagues across the country and we’ll be responding with our advice in the coming days." British Columbia Provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix "went one step further." He said, "The proposals are significantly different from what was presented in the summer, which was a bubble, and during a time of relatively low COVID-19 caseloads. They're taking a step back from that and it's something to be reviewed to see if it meets the needs of people" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 12/22).
CONTEMPLATING OPTICS: In Winnipeg, Scott Billeck notes it "seems likely that Manitoba would allow games" in the city. Both Acting Deputy Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Jazz Atwal and Dr. Brent Roussin, have "expressed support for the NHL's return to play plan." But Billeck notes it is an "interesting conundrum, at least when it comes to political optics." Anything east of Terrace Bay in Ontario "requires self-isolation upon arrival in Manitoba." How much that affects negotiations between the NHL and the province is "unknown." Roussin recently said that there is "virtually no risk to the public when it comes to the NHL's plan." But Billeck notes one "would assume there are other pressures involved here, including the mere fact that the country is engulfed in the second wave of the pandemic." People everywhere are "being told to stay home and not gather over the holidays." As such, allowing the NHL to travel around the country unimpeded "doesn't really read the room well" (WINNIPEG SUN, 12/22). SPORTSNET.ca's Iain MacIntyre wrote there "should be little doubt about the NHL's ability to create a work environment that is far safer than that of nearly any other workforce, nor of the willingness of players to adhere to guidelines." There are "obstacles, protocols to negotiate, of course." But it "seems the biggest challenge for governments is optical." How will it "look to have NHL teams jetting around for games when non-essential travel is being discouraged?" (SPORTSNET.ca, 12/21).
