NHL considers moving seven Canadian teams to play in U.S. cities
The idea of an all-canadian division in the NHL this season may have to be scrapped.
That's because the seven teams based north of the border could be moved to the United States to play out the 2020-21 campaign.
League sources confirmed reports Thursday night that the NHL is studying the possibility of having the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks play out of the U.S. this season unless provincial health authorities agree to allow them to play in their home cities.
All seven Canadian teams were informed of the possibility during a call with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly on Thursday afternoon.
While all seven teams and NHL officials are negotiating with governments in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, health authorities in those provinces have yet to issue an official go-ahead.
Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman reported that the possibility of playing in hub cities in Toronto and Edmonton has been discussed, but ideally, Canadian teams want to play in their own rinks.
The NHL and the players' association are negotiating a 56-game schedule that's tentatively scheduled to start on Jan. 13. Given this news, it looks like that date is a long shot and it may be more realistic for the NHL to shoot for a 48-game schedule that starts on Feb. 1.
Provincial health authorities are concerned with rising COVID-19 case counts across the country, and unless they're on board, the NHL'S seven teams won't be allowed to play here.
Lisa Macleod, Ontario's minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture, told reporters on Thursday she's held talks with officials from the Senators and Leafs.
“In terms of (the NHL'S) direct proposal, I believe I'm going to be briefed on that in the next day or so,” said Macleod, who added she would also be speaking with Steven Guilbault, the federal minister of heritage, in the next day or so.
Quebec Premier François Legault told reporters Wednesday that he believes the issues can be worked out.
“I think the stakes are more on the side of what concessions the players will make on their salaries,” Legault said in his daily briefing.
“As far as health standards are concerned, we managed to do it this summer (with all teams in secure zones in Edmonton and Toronto), so I think it will be possible to do it from mid-january.”
If the Leafs, Senators, Habs, Flames, Oilers, Jets and Canucks can't get clearance, then the idea of an all-canadian division will likely have to be scrapped.
However, don't rule out the possibility of a non-nhl city in the U.S. offering up the opportunity to host all seven Canadian teams in one place if the league wants to go that route. No, it doesn't make sense on the surface, but the NHL has already gone a long way in scheduling a Canadian division and it could be done in a U.S. hub format.