Another NHL team becomes top candidate to host games once season resumes

It’s been six weeks since we’ve seen NHL action and we can finally feel the return of action as there now seems to be an actual plan to finish the season, do a playoffs and award the Stanley Cup.

The league is focused on finding NHL cities where it is safe for players to resume action. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said there is the possibility of multiple games being played per day in two or “as many as four” NHL cities, and talks are getting louder on some preferred locations for action to resume.

The Arizona Coyotes and the Minnesota Wild are believed to be in touch with the league to host games. It has also been revealed that Toronto and Edmonton are in the mix to be host in the event of a centralized restart, as well as Pittsburgh, Columbus and Dallas. The NHL is in the process of vetting a total of 12 cities where teams normally play. 

On Friday, Golden Knights insider Jesse Granger of The Athletic reported that Vegas among the cities being vetted as a potential centralized NHL site. 

"T-Mobile Arena is already equipped with multiple dressing rooms in addition to the home and away NHL rooms. The arena easily accommodated four college hockey teams for the Fortress Invitational and a dozen college basketball teams for the Pac-12 basketball tournament."

Vegas would need to check is in respect to COVID-19. It remains to be seen. 

It is believed that the NHL is looking to kick off action in a month or so as teams could conduct mini-training camps in June with the balance of the regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs to be held in July. It’s unclear at this point where games would be played, but Vegas could be one of the locations.