Rather than tempt fate by opening a sports league in the United States right now, the NHL is avoiding that problem altogether.
According to Bob McKenzie of TSN, the two hub cities for the NHL playoffs are will be Edmonton and Toronto.
Those locations are part of a larger CBA negotiation between the NHL and its players union, and a vote of players is expected later this week.
Early reports suggested that the NHL wanted one American city and one Canadian city to host the restart, with Las Vegas the presumptive favorite.
But COVID-19 rates in Nevada have spiked, making it less desirable as a destination than on the other side of the closed border. The U.S.- Canadian border has been restricted since March.
The NBA’s planned reopening in Orlando is scheduled for the end of this month, but Commissioner Adam Silver said he couldn’t guarantee the league would be able to finish its season. MLS is also attempting to return in its own Orlando bubble, and six players from one team (FC Dallas) tested positive for COVID-19 today.