NHL pares down potential hub city list; dates for next phases reportedly revealed

The NHL appears to be plowing ahead with plans for the 24-team Return to Play format to finish out the 2019-20 season, despite news that 11 players had tested positive for COVID-19 Friday while taking part in Phase 2. According to TSN Insider Pierre LeBrun, the league has chopped down the list of potential hub cities from 10 to six.

"My understanding is that the NHL has cut the list of Hub cities to 6 teams from the original 10," Lebrun said in Twitter. "The list still includes all three Canadian cities. My sense is Vancouver and Edmonton rank ahead of Toronto. Obviously Vegas remains in the mix."

Vegas remains in the mix because, according to many reports, it has already been chosen as one of the two hub cities. Besides Las Vegas and the three Canadian cities in the mix, the others on the first list were Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Pittsburgh. LeBrun does not state which ones have been cut.

Meanwhile, the New York Post is reporting that the NHL has chosen the dates for Phases 4 to begin. According to Larry Brooks, "qualifying rounds are scheduled to begin on July 30 in hub cities that will be selected 'within the next week or so,' according to a directive sent to NHL clubs Friday following its general managers meeting."

Phase 3, which will see the opening of training camps, is slated to begin on July 10th as previously announced by the NHL.

Brooks also reported that players will be travelling to their respective hub cities on July 23rd or 24th and will play in one exhibition game before starting the best-of-five play-in round. Training camp rosters will be set at 30 skaters and an unlimited number of goaltenders. Rosters for the tournament will be comprised of 28 skaters plus an unlimited number of netminders. Players on IR will not count against the limit.

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