If the National Hockey League‘s ambitious plan to hold a 24-team playoff amid the COVID-19 pandemic does indeed go ahead late this summer it will be held in two so-called hub cities.
Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed the league’s return-to-play plan earlier this week, which will see one hub city host all 12 Eastern Conference playoff teams and another city welcome the 12 teams from the Western Conference.
Bettman also unveiled a short list of 10 NHL cities that are being considered to host the 600 or so players, coaches, trainers and on and off ice officials that will be placed in each hub.
But which two cities end up at the top of the league’s list will depend on what NHL brass deem to be the most important factors.