Columbus, Twin Cities trimmed from NHL list of hub sites

Paul as potential
hub cities if the season resumes play this summer, The Athletic reported
Monday.

"They had a lot of positives about our presentation, but they've gone in a
different direction," Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen
said. "It's disappointing, but we were also among the last few cities to be
considered. You take the positives along with the disappointment and you move
on."

As part of the league's 24-team return to play plan announced in May, two hub
cities will serve as hosts -- one for the 12 Eastern Conference teams and one
for the 12 Western Conference teams -- when play resumes in late July or early
August.

Multiple reports have indicated that Las Vegas will be one of the hubs. Other
locations being considered include Dallas and Chicago in the United States and
Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.

An announcement is expected as early as this week.

The NHL suspended play on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic, with teams
having between 11 and 14 games left in the regular season. The structure of
the season, if and when it resumes, remains uncertain.

--Field Level Media