This is GREAT news. Because it's the only plausible scenario in which I can imagine the 2nd round of the playoffs being played in Toronto....
https://www.tsn.ca/edmonton-and-toro...ties-1.1491108
According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, barring any last-minute complications, the two NHL hub cities will be Edmonton and Toronto.Long night of negotiations/hard work between NHL/NHLPA appears to have resulted in agreement on most issues on Phase 3/4 RTP, CBA extension, transition rules. Still a couple of items to finalize today. NOTHING, of course, is actually done until both sides ratify a tentative deal.
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This is GREAT news. Because it's the only plausible scenario in which I can imagine the 2nd round of the playoffs being played in Toronto....
Now we see if it actually happens I guess.
Vegas’ foolish mayor torpedoed their opportunity even though they were the front runner. If the NHL really wanted the safest locations they would have gone with Vancouver and Edmonton as Toronto is not out of the woods yet. I understand the rationale for having an east and west hub though.
You could see some political moves happening over the last couple weeks essentially lobbying the NHL to choose Canada. Hopefully it works out because the return of sports can have a very positive snowball effect in other areas.
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Yay Canada for the win! Now like doulos says, let's hope this happens! I'm ready for some playoff hockey!
The NHL in good conscious can't really be comfortable with ANY American hub city's safety because the effort to contain infection spread has been very disjointed and haphazard. Vegas is NOT safe because the local authorities don't seem to really care what happens. I suspect its individual hotels/casinos making most of the effort to make their clientele are safe but that is not enough. Any city in the USA is a potential hot spot if it isn't one already for infections rising. Edmonton is not the flashiest destination on the map but the ability to create a quarantine/bubble in and around the ICE district area and Rogers Place arena should be relatively easy. Toronto is a world class city no doubt but the modern infrastructure downtown will help in maintaining the bubble needed. It helps that the city, province, and the Federal government are all in alignment in fighting infection spread the best they can.
Because really, are players going to hub cities to concentrate on hockey and stay healthy or to worry about seeing the sights and avoiding boredom?
There was nothing way in hell this wasn't coming to Toronto, no matter who the other city was. Toronto was going to be one of the cities.
10 Team, Points Only, Cash League
25 Man Roster (no position), top 20 point getters count at end of month
Keep 20/25 at seasons end, Cut 5 to FA for redrafting
Goalie points W=2pt L=-1pt SHO=2pt
Stamkos, Tavares, Eichel, Mercer, JRobertson, RThomas, Kucherov, Nugent-Hopkins, Tuch, KConnor, Necas, Point, Konecny, SJarvis, Cozenz, Morrissey, Bouchard, Josi, Novak, Tolvanen, Peterka, SBennett
G- Vasilevskiy, Sorokin, Oettinger
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https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/how-did...cities~1987331
A video of Bob McKenzie explaining the process and what still needs to be done before everything is finalized.
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Just pondering things:
Wouldn't it be interesting if:
- Toronto won the East playing in Edmonton
- Edmonton won the West playing in Toronto
- they continue to use two hub cities for the finals and go back and forth.
- Toronto has last change as the home team for games in Edmonton and vice versa
This is based on the assumptions:
- West Teams play in Toronto
- East Teams play in Edmonton
- That there is no plan to drop it down to one hub city at any time in the playoffs.
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