Bruins set to head north as NHL reportedly picks Toronto, Edmonton as host cities for Stanley Cup Playoffs

If the Bruins are going to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup this fall, it looks as though they’re going to have to head north of the border to see this season through.

According to Bob McKenzie and multiple other outlets, the NHL has finally determined where Phase 4 of its “Return To Play” plan will take place — with both Toronto and Edmonton selected as the “hub cities” for playoff teams in both the Eastern and Western Conference. 

While the official selection of these venues, a CBA extension and multiple other facets of Phase 3 (training camp) and Phase 4 (resumption of games) need to be ratified by both the league and the NHLPA before all parties can truly take the next step — Wednesday’s news (on Canada Day, no less) shouldn’t exactly come as much of a surprise.



Throughout the league’s process of whittling down the list of viable “hub city” candidates, it seemed as though Las Vegas was a shoo-in — given the amenities and the number of hotels/resorts within the immediate vicinity of T-Mobile Arena that the league believed it could close down in a “bubble” environment. 

But given the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Nevada, plus the implausibility of avoiding an outbreak with the number of additional staff/employers at these rests, Vegas was reportedly axed earlier this week.

Vancouver, with an impressively barren number of coronavirus cases, also seemed like a front-runner for a bid, but was taken out of the running after British Columbia’s Ministry of Health disagreed with the NHL’s protocols for a scenario in which a player might test positive for COVID-19. 

As we covered last week, Edmonton made a pretty compelling case in its bid.

Along with the lower number of COVID-19 cases, especially when compared to the U.S., Edmonton already has a venue in place for a “bubble,” with teams likely setting up camp at the city’s ICE District — which features a 5-star JW Marriott hotel connected to the Oilers’ state-of-the-art rink, Rogers Place. 

Add in the Downtown Community Arena (with additional ice and locker rooms) on site at the ICE District, plus the province’s willingness to develop an “Olympic Village” type of atmosphere for players within the bubble, and Edmonton stands as a no-brainer. 

A sprawling metropolis like Toronto might be a bit more complicated in terms of clamping down on a “bubble” environment, but the NHL is reportedly planning on setting up shop on a 40-acre site on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds. Even though games will take place at the Maple Leafs’ rink — Scotiabank Arena — there are plenty of amenities present on the CNE grounds, including the OVO Athletic Centre, Hotel X, Coca-Cola Coliseum and much more. 

Even though the league’s original preference was that teams would not play in their regular city for this postseason (Maple Leafs playing in Toronto, for example), it seems as though that isn’t the case now — with Michael Russo of the Athletic reporting that teams in the East will head up to Toronto, while the West clubs will make the trek to Edmonton. 

Still, the expectation is that both the Maple Leafs and Oilers will not be granted any additional privileges — and will be in the “bubble” just like the other 11 teams in each venue. However, the case could still be made that a team like Toronto, that knows the city and especially the small intricacies of their home rink, could be handed an advantage during this revamped playoff slate. 

Bruce Cassidy raised those concerns when speaking with the media earlier this week, although he did note that certain concessions will have to be made in order to get this “Return to Play” plan off the ground. 

“We've played well in that rink in the playoffs, for the most part, so that's a positive,” Cassidy said of playing in Toronto. “There's 12 teams from the East, so the chances you're going to bump into them, who knows, right? That would be speculation. I think it is an advantage. If someone told me we could play at the Garden, I'd happily do it first and foremost than travel somewhere else. I do believe there's not a home crowd advantage, obviously. But there is some advantage to being in your own city, some advantage to being in your own building, your own locker room, etc. So that's the part I would disagree with with the league. 

“But again, I don't think it's an easy decision to find the right spot. Ideally, you'd go to two non-playoff venues. But I don't know if that's going to happen. I have no idea where we're going to end up. Like you, I've heard different cities. But at the end of the day, we're going to go where they tell us and be ready to play and make the best of it. And hopefully, it's reasonable weather. 

Cassidy added: "The one thing about Vegas, everyone talked about Vegas. What's the temperature there this time of year? Is it difficult to even get outside and go for a walk in that temperature? That's what I think the players, they're going to want to have a little flexibility in what they do and I'm not sure how much you're even gonna have to begin with. But I do know Toronto this time of year is nice weather. I'll give them that. And like I said, we'll be ready to go when they tell us where we're going.”