Possible relocation for several NHL teams for 2020-21 season

The National Hockey League and its players might be hoping to play in their team’s respective arena for the 2020-21 season, it might not be possible for several clubs at the moment. 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in California and Manitoba, it’s possible the  San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Winnipeg Jets  won’t be able to play in their home buildings to start the season. While it remains possible that those restrictions are lifted before the season starts, a plan has to get set in motion to temporarily relocate the teams in question to other NHL arenas to start the campaign. 

On top of that, the NHL is hoping to see some fans in attendance in markets where local and state/provincial regulations allow it. However senior hockey writer Frank Seravelli explained ion last night’s Insider Trading on TSN that it might be more complicated for some teams. He mentioned how the Sharks might be forced to open camp in Arizona. 

“[If allowed it] would only be fans if the NHL can indeed open in all 31 arenas. That remains in doubt. Take the San Jose Sharks, for instance. I’m told they’re planning to open training camp in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the practice facility of the Arizona Coyotes. And moving forward, I’m told that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has sought the counsel of Dr. Anthony Fauci from the National Institute of Health over the course of this pandemic and one of the recommendations that Dr. Fauci had made to Bettman over the last number of weeks was if you want to pull this off and start the NHL season safely, the best way to do that would be in hubs. That’s not the preference of both clubs and players, but I’m told that hubs very much remain a Plan B and are on the table. So, lots still in the air with less than a month until that start date target.”

While the NHL might not be thrilled about it, the idea of hybrid bubbles or hubs has been floating around for a while now. If a hub city is used, teams would travel to a location for two weeks to play around 10 games. Clubs would then return home for a week before going back to the hub. A hybrid bubble would be similar to the playoff bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, but not nearly as strict. Toronto and Edmonton would remain the top options for the Canadian division. New Jersey, Columbus, and Las Vegas are reportedly three U.S. cities receiving the most attention to become potential hubs south of the border. Arenas in all three areas are home to only one primary tenant, with two sheets of ice on-site or nearby and enough hotel accommodations.

And if Dr. Fauci is right, the NHL might not have another choice. This has to be something that’s holding up talks between the NHL and its Players Association as well…