The NHL is coming back, here's what to expect!

The NHL is in the thick of their comeback trail and there's finally some light at the end of the tunnel. From deciding on hub cities, to finalizing all the 'playoff' teams, the Board of Governors and the Return to Play committee are approaching the finish line. Here's what you can expect over the next couple of days.

The Official Announcement: Expect this by the end of this week at the latest, but if I was guessing, I would think potentially Thursday. The league can't wait to get things finalized and there's no better time then the present. Today's BOG conference call will go a long way. 

Hub Cities: According to Bob McKenzie, Vegas has a huge advantage, and let's be honest, not the worst place for half of the players to hang out. The hotel accommodations are ideal for the NHL, they could basically have an entire building to themselves. This could also be a chance for families to visit as well, which was a huge soar spot for the players once they heard of this set up. Columbus has appeared out of nowhere as a favorite for the 2nd city, but it's believed the league prefers a Canadian city because of currency. Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto are potentials. 

Nothing firmed up yet obviously but two hub cities instead of four is generating some buzz in discussions amongst teams. Las Vegas, for example, where an entire hotel/resort could be dedicated to the NHL and with easy access to the arena. https://t.co/PI8Se7MJsV

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 18, 2020

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NHL Draft: The draft announcement will likely come at the same time as when the league hits the 'restart' button. From hockey's insiders, it's sounding more and more likely the league holds the lottery virtually in September. This could easily change, but one thing seems set in stone, the Draft won't be happening before the season restarts.

Push Back: Regardless of the solution, someone somewhere is not going to be happy. You can never please everyone and the NHL is expecting backlash, it's natural. The Health and Safety of everyone involved is still and always will be priority #1, so if that's taken care of, why so much anger about a restart? The push back from a lot of fans has been quite surprising. 

As the league appears set for a 24-team tournament with a 'play-in' for 8 of those teams, some fans should be thrilled with this approach. Yes, Habs fans we are talking to you. Before the pandemic, Montreal had a 0% chance of making the playoffs. Because of this new set up, the Habs will be a part of the 24 team playoffs.


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The Board of Governors are set for a Monday conference call. Could we have a major announcement coming later tonight? Your guess is as good as mine. However, one thing we do know, the NHL is coming back and there will be a Stanley Cup champion crowned this season! Suck it up, buttercup, hockey is back and that's a very good thing!

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