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Several cities, venues make pitches to host NHL playoffs

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TJ Tucker
April 10, 2020  (9:55 PM)
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With the NHL still seemingly intent on awarding the Stanley Cup for the 2019-20 season, the idea of neutral sites to host teams has been mentioned several times. And it seems cities and sites are catching on.

According to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, cities and venues across North America have started pitching themselves as potential hosts.

"We do have people putting together the comprehensive laundry list of what we would need from facilities and evaluating some facilities on some level," Daly said. "But I can't tell you we've even finished creating a list (of potential sites), much less narrowed it down."

Some of the potential sites that have been mentioned by reports before include Grand Forks, North Dakota; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

If the NHL can return for the playoffs, it would certainly make sense that there would be locations stepping up in an attempt to get in the front-running. The economic spin-off at a time when the economy hasn't been doing well at all would mean major monetary boosts for any site acting as a host.

"I've always had the caveat that everything is on the table and nothing is out of the question," Daly said. "I would say there would be a strong opposition to ever creating a playoff where it was a single elimination. I think best-of-three is more possible, not preferred, but more possible than a best-of-one scenario."

"My sense of the players is that they're very anxious to return. Obviously, they want to be healthy and safe," Daly said. "If a particular player had a particular concern, we've had similar situations in the past and we as a league have been sensitive and receptive to that situation. Obviously, if it becomes too widespread, then it becomes more problematic in terms of our ability to get back. But that will be handled up front."

Source: ESPN