Subscribe for $5 for 5 months
On July 1, Canada Day up north, it looks like its also Canada day for the Blues. Although nothing is official, multiple reports indicate that the NHL is opting for Edmonton and Toronto as its center cities for its expected return to play in early August.
The 12 Eastern Conference groups are expected to play in Toronto; the 12 Western Conference groups in Edmonton in the leagues proposed 24-team postseason format. So it appears the Blues are Alberta-bound as they try to defend their Stanley Cup in the hub city of Edmonton.
All along, the league seemed intent on placing one center city in Canada and another in the United States. Blame the coronavirus for the league guiding clear of the U.S., particularly a spike in cases in Las Vegas.
Robert Cohen
A terrific concept, to be sure, in simply about any set of scenarios. Except a pandemic.
Too risky for a league attempting to complete off its 2019-20 with players in a “bubble” of practice game, hotel, and rink venue. In contrast, new cases of COVID-19 are extremely low — and decreasing — in Edmonton and Toronto.
The league was captivated with the prospect of playing in Las Vegas from the start, with both the quality and amount of its hotel accommodations, and the distance of those hotels to T-Mobile Arena, and the Vegas Strip.
A terrific concept, to be sure, in practically any set of situations. Except a pandemic. Over the past week, Nevada has reported its five highest-case overalls for COVID-19, with many of those cases taking place in Clark County — which is where Las Vegas is situated.
The St. Louis Blues raise their Stanley Cup championship banner before opening the season versus the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019 at Enterprise Center. Picture by Robert Cohen, [email protected]
