The NHL is reportedly looking into different options to get the 2020-21 season underway, including playing in hub cities during the ongoing pandemic.
When the NHL season was paused on the 2019-20 season on March 12 amid the coronavirus outbreak, there was no telling what was next for the league. Would they be able to finish the regular season? How would any form of the playoffs be played? Would the Boston Bruins and other teams be allowed to play in their arenas?
The NHL and NHLPA came to an agreement in May to having two playoff bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton. Things went off without a hitch and the league was able to complete the playoffs in two months without any issues and crown a Stanley Cup champion on September 28. The league had strict protocols and daily testing that required the players to be isolated from their families.
Having success keeping the players healthy in the bubble worked so well that it was reported Tuesday that the league is exploring short-term hub cities to begin the season. The league is also looking into temporary realignment and a reduced schedule.
One issue that the league will have to work out is the closure of nonessential travel at the United States/Canada border. One theory that has been floated around is having all the Canadian teams play in a Canadian Division, while the teams in the United States break into regional hub cities.
On Tuesday at the 2020 Paley International Council Summitt with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and MLB commissioner Rob Manred in attendance, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke about a plan that playing in hub cities would have teams play games without travel.
Anything is possible to get an NHL season underway and played. There is money to be made with TV deals, despite playing in different hub cities. The other priority is the health and safety of everyone involved as COVID-19 cases are on the rise everywhere.
The league has said it would like to begin the season on January 1, but that seems like a long shot right now. If the season needs to be pushed back from that date to begin safely, then Bruins fans would be OK with that to see the Black and Gold back on the ice.