[News] Auston Matthews tests positive for COVID-19

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

I find it a little absurd that they are going to try and do this in the USA, and in a densely populated city.

What they need is somewhere remote, with low Covid cases, and with decent infrastructure. So why not put it all into one state or province? Take Alberta for example. The government wants to work with them, and we have a number of cities with good infrastructure to support their "bubbles".

Lethbridge, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, Ft Mac all have arenas capable of pulling this off, along with a low population density, low covid numbers, and serviceable infrastructure. BC could do the same with Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Penticton and Kamloops if their government was willing to work with the league. All these arenas are within a 1 hour flight of each other, have low Covid numbers, can house 4 teams playing every other day, and would be a pretty amazing place to play a tournament. Especially the Okanagan.

It doesn't make sense for the league to try and put the players into places like Nevada or California (or anywhere in the USA, really) because of the way they are treating Covid. It really seems like the league is making a bad decision with US cities, and they're going to pay for it when players inevitably test positive and they get shut down.

For me, as long as it’s not in Alberta, I am fine with the location. Alberta is in horrible shape economically and I can only see this as another loss financially and from a health perspective. BC basically backed out because they would not agree to the special exceptions that the NHL had asked for.

They basically wanted asymptomatic carriers to run free locally.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

For me, as long as it’s not in Alberta, I am fine with the location. Alberta is in horrible shape economically and I can only see this as another loss financially and from a health perspective. BC basically backed out because they would not agree to the special exceptions that the NHL had asked for.

The reason some of our provinces applied to host the bubble was for the economic support it would generate. Like you said everybody is in “horrible shape economically “. Everybody is looking at all avenues in which to bring in more money .

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Lethbridge, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton, Ft Mac all have arenas capable of pulling this off, along with a low population density, low covid numbers, and serviceable infrastructure. BC could do the same with Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Penticton and Kamloops if their government was willing to work with the league. All these arenas are within a 1 hour flight of each other, have low Covid numbers, can house 4 teams playing every other day, and would be a pretty amazing place to play a tournament. Especially the Okanagan.

Ice isn't a very big limiting factor here, it's the other infrastructure that is more important (hotels in close proximity, etc.). NHL will want plug and play in terms of TV broadcast - lighting, camera positions, and permanent broadcast infrastructure being key.

That said, the Okanagan is an intriguing option

[calumniate]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

For me, as long as it’s not in Alberta, I am fine with the location. Alberta is in horrible shape economically and I can only see this as another loss financially and from a health perspective. BC basically backed out because they would not agree to the special exceptions that the NHL had asked for.

They basically wanted asymptomatic carriers to run free locally.

Off topic but what's your opinion on safe consumption sites?

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Flamenspiel

Looks like it’s Toronto and Vegas for the hub cities, there has been a number of sites posting the information. Good that it’s not Alberta, all we need is some more Covid-19 clusters.

Why would 12 hockey teams in Edmonton for two weeks, tested twice daily be high risk to create a local Covid outbreak. There’s already a million people there.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by greyshep

I kinda doubt that will happen. I think that was only speculation anyways or was that officially mentioned somewhere?

It was mentioned in a couple of the STH calls that I listened in on by John Bean, but that was quite a few weeks back.

[Erick Estrada]

Does anyone think it's crazy that on that the league plans to open on July 30th and on the last day of June they still haven't settled on a 2nd location?

[vennegoor of hesselink]

There was a rumour going around last night that the hubs will be Chicago and Toronto, but i am not believing anything until the NHL announces it.

[Johnhitbox]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Does anyone think it's crazy that on that the league plans to open on July 30th and on the last day of June they still haven't settled on a 2nd location?

That is strange. But I guess 30 days is enough time to prep an arena, and arrange accommodations, travel, and training venues. As long as they do it soon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Dater 2 days ago on Twitter?. Yesterday was Arthur Staple saying the same thing. And today John Shannon leads the way. Unless it all falls apart like Vancouver, this will be the 2 cities IMO.

John Shannon? Well then, I'm sold.

https://www.tsn.ca/hub-city-search-a...four-1.1490766

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by vennegoor of hesselink

There was a rumour going around last night that the hubs will be Chicago and Toronto, but i am not believing anything until the NHL announces it.

I don’t think there are hotels near the arena in Chicago. How do you manage that?

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I don’t think there are hotels near the arena in Chicago. How do you manage that?

They are not that far.

Team buses would work pretty well

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Does anyone think it's crazy that on that the league plans to open on July 30th and on the last day of June they still haven't settled on a 2nd location?

I’ve had no problem with the NhL trying to get this going. The only thing I hate is the secretive measures the NHL has taken about not educating the players what their full plan is for hub cities and to keep players safe. They just keep announcing dates and no measures for keeping it safe . There is no wonder why some players are sceptical. They probably don’t know much more than the public. NhL has to be better with the information going forward.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Does anyone think it's crazy that on that the league plans to open on July 30th and on the last day of June they still haven't settled on a 2nd location?

Not really.

There's no need to rush things and it's not like they're just sitting around doing nothing. By all accounts, they're working on addressing the players' concerns and making sure there won't be any hurdles once they do make a decision.

As long as they give everyone enough time to get the "bubbles" set up safely, it makes sense to push the final decision as late as possible in case something major happens in one of the chosen cities and they have to change plans (as we've already seen in Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Vancouver ... and could be seeing in Vegas).

They don't need to worry about selling tickets or making sure that out-of-town fans can get hotel rooms. They also don't need to worry about someone else swooping in and booking the arenas and hotels out from under them. The teams will all be flying on private jets to the hub cities, so even the travel plans don't need to be finalized until just before they travel.


As a fan, it doesn't really matter to me where the games are being played. I'm going to be watching them on tv regardless.

[dino7c]

I hope they don't start meaningful games on the long weekend...I bet it gets pushed back anyway

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

They are not that far.

Team buses would work pretty well

OK, so if that's the case why not use a city that has WAY less Covid issues, low population density, and decent arenas and can handle multiple teams and broadcast crews?

The following places fit that bill: Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Penticton, Kamloops, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Calgary, Edmonton, Ft Mac, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg.

It sure seems like the league is more concerned with the host city and their image than player safety. Which is fine, but just come out and say it instead of trying to play off Toronto, Vegas, SJ, LA, etc etc as these great places to hold this when the pandemic is gaining steam in those same areas.

It just smells fishy to me.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

OK, so if that's the case why not use a city that has WAY less Covid issues, low population density, and decent arenas and can handle multiple teams and broadcast crews?

The following places fit that bill: Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Penticton, Kamloops, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Calgary, Edmonton, Ft Mac, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg.

It sure seems like the league is more concerned with the host city and their image than player safety. Which is fine, but just come out and say it instead of trying to play off Toronto, Vegas, SJ, LA, etc etc as these great places to hold this when the pandemic is gaining steam in those same areas.

It just smells fishy to me.

Victoria would laugh. The arena is a homeless shelter and won't be able for use for at least the summer possibly longer. Scratch any B.C town off that list. Bonny Henry says no so its no....everywhere.

Edit: And let's be clear, Bonny Henry literally has the hearts of everyone in B.C so when I say when she says no, she speaks for everyone.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Victoria would laugh. The arena is a homeless shelter and won't be able for use for at least the summer possibly longer. Scratch any B.C town off that list. Bonny Henry says no so its no....everywhere.

Edit: And let's be clear, Bonny Henry literally has the hearts of everyone in B.C so when I say when she says no, she speaks for everyone.

I totally get that, but if the government was approached with a pro sports tournament in their province would that move the needle? A summer tournament in the Okanagan, broadcast worldwide, would certainly put it on the map (more so than it already is). Panoramic scenery would be quite the start to a broadcast, and their downtime would be on a boat or golf course.

Players would have a bigger problem catching the clap than covid....not sure if that's a plus but hey. I'm sure half these guys liver there in the summer anyway.

[Toonage]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1278058799979528192

https://twitter.com/user/status/1278058277398548480

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

I totally get that, but if the government was approached with a pro sports tournament in their province would that move the needle?...

In BC? No. It wouldn't.

The public appetite for such a thing here is incredibly soft. The government has no real incentive to consider it, and as mentioned, the top provincial health official has already flatly rejected it.