Canadiens pundit reports Las Vegas would host conference finals, Stanley Cup final

IU Hawks fan

They call me IU
Dec 30, 2008
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It's gotta be a Canadian City.

I had said in the past how there are many venues in Edmonton (Rogers Place with two rinks and re-open Rexall Place temporarily) and the Lower Mainland (aka Vancouver). I would say Toronto but COVID is too intense in Ontario, would say Quebec considering they have so many out there but COVID is the worst there.

Would love to say Winnipeg, but all we have is BMTSP and Max Bell.

But let us not forget how Las Vegas barely has any rinks out there.

18 US based teams and 6 CDN based teams in the playoffs, so no, going to say it does not have to be.
 
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voyageur

Hockey fanatic
Jul 10, 2011
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Well if you are trying to emulate March Madness in July, might as well go big or go home. No fans will at least reduce the humidity in the rinks, which should be good for the ice. Increased betting because you are in Vegas, is good for promotion. I just hope they don't go over the top with the introductions. As a Jets fans I was kind of pissed with the theatrics in the WCF intros, especially throwing our jersey on the ice, that's disrespectful of the sport, which existed in tradition long before the hype, and the multiple plastic surgeries of Wayne Newton.

I just hope Edmonton gets a regional round. Canada needs to be represented in this tournament, and since all 4 Western Canadian teams are in, have a hub in one of them.
 

gstommylee

Registered User
Jan 31, 2012
14,400
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Well if you are trying to emulate March Madness in July, might as well go big or go home. No fans will at least reduce the humidity in the rinks, which should be good for the ice. Increased betting because you are in Vegas, is good for promotion. I just hope they don't go over the top with the introductions. As a Jets fans I was kind of pissed with the theatrics in the WCF intros, especially throwing our jersey on the ice, that's disrespectful of the sport, which existed in tradition long before the hype, and the multiple plastic surgeries of Wayne Newton.

I just hope Edmonton gets a regional round. Canada needs to be represented in this tournament, and since all 4 Western Canadian teams are in, have a hub in one of them.

There is no grantee any Canada city will be a host city and that has to do with whether they are allowed across the border or not.
 

GuelphStormer

Registered User
Mar 20, 2012
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Guelph, ON
The number of rinks in the area doesn't matter. They are only playing at NHL-level facilities. The highest quality NCAA and minor pro facilities were not good enough for the NHL and they threw out that plan. It is only NHL-facilities they are looking at. The only things that set those cities apart are their abilities to keep the players isolated, in hotel rooms and such, and a few other smaller factors. The number of rinks in the area is absolutely irrelevant.
so all games and practice occur at one arena?
 

IU Hawks fan

They call me IU
Dec 30, 2008
28,516
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NW Burbs
so all games and practice occur at one arena?
They'll practice in the host team's practice facility. They're not going to go to some random rink that doesn't have NHL quality locker rooms, weight rooms, training rooms, etc.

That's why the number of rinks doesn't matter, they're going to use 2 buildings in all likelihood - arena for games and the host's practice rink.

What's interesting is that Chicago is now on the final list, despite how bad everything is here now. I think the fact that there's 2 NHL quality facilities, the Hawks current practice rink and their previous one, within 5 minutes is factoring into that.

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tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
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They'll practice in the host team's practice facility. They're not going to go to some random rink that doesn't have NHL quality locker rooms, weight rooms, training rooms, etc.

That's why the number of rinks doesn't matter, they're going to use 2 buildings in all likelihood - arena for games and the host's practice rink.

What's interesting is that Chicago is now on the final list, despite how bad everything is here now. I think the fact that there's 2 NHL quality facilities, the Hawks current practice rink and their previous one, within 5 minutes is factoring into that.

View attachment 347796

Exactly. NHL teams generally only practice for an hour or two per day, and that declines during the playoffs. With 6 teams per location, ice time is not an issue as long as you have one rink for practice and one rink for games.
 

GuelphStormer

Registered User
Mar 20, 2012
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Guelph, ON
Two hub cities, from what I understand. I'm guessing (pure speculation) that they're looking for 1 game rink and 1-2 practice rinks per location.
no doubt, we are all speculating to some extent. that's what makes life fun. presumably, there will be an east and a west city to host the two conferences. and it seems to me that each of those two cities will need to be prepared to host up to 12 teams. the bottom 8 (5 thru 12) will play up to five games each. that's four pairs @ 5 games = up to 20 games, minimally 12 games if everyone sweeps. add to that the new round robin of the top 4 teams, which is another 6 games (I think?), so up to 26 games in the 1st round alone, minimally 18 games.

so, all 18 to 26 games must be played on one NHL-worthy rink? How many games per day? Two? Three? Surely no non-game days. So, we are looking at 6, maybe 9 or more days for the first round, minimally. practice would be an hour ... per team per day (probably add in change/shower plus cleaning time if dressing rooms are being reused). we are minimally looking at 12 practice periods in just the first day. surely the league will not restrict teams, and risk injury, to on-ice practice every other day. and nobodies gonna be asked to practice at 3am. that will require two, probably three or four practice rinks to accommodate everyone at the start. then add work-out space.

i think.
 
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BKIslandersFan

F*** off
Sep 29, 2017
11,443
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Brooklyn
It's gotta be a Canadian City.

I had said in the past how there are many venues in Edmonton (Rogers Place with two rinks and re-open Rexall Place temporarily) and the Lower Mainland (aka Vancouver). I would say Toronto but COVID is too intense in Ontario, would say Quebec considering they have so many out there but COVID is the worst there.

Would love to say Winnipeg, but all we have is BMTSP and Max Bell.

But let us not forget how Las Vegas barely has any rinks out there.
There’s at least 4 rinks in Vegas...
 
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LadyStanley

Registered User
Sep 22, 2004
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It may be that the Eastern Conference teams play in the CT or MT or PT rather than ET if the markets from the EC are not deemed workable for hub cities (for a bunch of reasons).

I think it more likely hub cities are more western centric.



WRT practice facilities, my guess is about 6 teams/day will be practicing. Most facilities would have at least 3 if not more changing rooms. If at least 6, cleaning would not have to happen between teams practicing. But if less than 6, there would need to be cleaning between teams.

My guess is there will be three games/day scheduled. Two play-in games and one round robin game.
 
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TOGuy14

Registered User
Dec 30, 2010
12,061
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Toronto
Imagine being a 20 something millionaire athlete and being told you need to spend the next two months in Las Vegas.

Then imagine they tell you that you are only allowed to work and sit in your hotel room :laugh:
 

mrzeigler

.. but I'm not wrong
Sep 30, 2006
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Pittsburgh
I haven't followed a lot of reporting on this, but in what little I have seen, I haven't seen much talk of ice quality. We are talking about a summer tournament, after all.

Because of that (plus its average June high temperature of 70 degrees), I had assumed Edmonton would be a serious contender.

Plus, my outside perspective is that Edmonton isn't a bustling metropolis. I'd expect it to be easier from a public health perspective to ensure player safety in a city that doesn't have a lot of people coming & going.
 
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GuelphStormer

Registered User
Mar 20, 2012
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Guelph, ON
I haven't followed a lot of reporting on this, but in what little I have seen, I haven't seen much talk of ice quality. We are talking about a summer tournament, after all.

I has assumed that because of that — plus its average June high temperature of 70 degrees — Edmonton has to be a serious contender.

Plus, my outside perspective is that Edmonton isn't a bustling metropolis. I would think it would be easier from a public health perspective to ensure player safety in a city that doesn't have a lot of people coming & going.
having an empty arena (the human body typically produces 100 watts of heat) would presumably help with keeping the arena cool and maintaining ice temperature/quality. but yeah, this ain't a weekend of peewee skaters. wherever they play, it's going to be a challenge.
 

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