Bettman provides an update on locations, timetable, and testing.

Earlier today we reported on rumors that both Las Vegas and Edmonton could prove to be potential host cities for when the National Hockey League returns to action, but the latest comments from Gary Bettman would appear to indicate that there are many more cities in the running. Bettman fielded questions about the NHL's efforts to restart the season on Monday and he touched a wide variety of topics including potential locations.

Although Bettman did not reveal which cities the league was looking at during this process, he did reveal that there were "probably eight or nine different places" could potentially fit the NHL's needs. Bettman also effectively confirmed that the league was looking at a plan that would involve just 2 cities instead of the 4 that had been rumored for some time now, confirming a report from several NHL insiders earlier this morning. Bettman stated during the interview that the locations being reviewed by the league were ones that could accommodate "a dozen or so teams in one location," which would mean 2 locations under the rumored 24 team playoff format. 

As for when we could see the NHL return? Unsurprisingly the NHL's commissioner was vague and would not give a specific timeline, likely due in large part to the fact that the league is at the mercy of medical professionals and government officials.

"I don't think anybody has a fixed timetable, particularly in North America right now," Bettman said in a digital keynote interview with Leaders Week. "We have been working very hard since we took the pause on March 12 to make sure that whatever the timing is, whatever the sequencing is, whatever physical ability we have in terms of locations to play, that we're in a position to execute any or all of those options. There is still a great deal of uncertainty."

One of the biggest questions surrounding a potential return for the league has been the one regarding the need to test players and those they come into contact with. The NHL could likely in theory purchase all of the test that they need to, however Bettman mentioned that the league was very wary of putting any potential strain on the medical community during this difficult period.

"I am told that there can be enough capacity, and certainly over the next couple of months, there will be more capacity," Commissioner Bettman said. "But that is a fundamental question, and we certainly can't be jumping the line in front of medical needs."

Word is that the NHL and National Hockey League Players Association have made significant strides in terms of their discussions regarding some of the potential obstacles to a return for the NHL, however regardless of how well those negotiations go the final say on what transpires may come from those outside of the NHL. 

"So a lot of our planning and a lot of the issues we're confronting ultimately are going to be resolved for us by other people, whether it's physicians or whether it's governmental leaders, and that's why we have to be doing a lot of contingency planning so we can react to whatever they're telling is us appropriate and permissible," admitted Bettman.