The NHL has been in contact with Premier Jason Kenney to perhaps use Edmonton’s Rogers Centre to host a revamped season or playoff scenario..At a provincial COVID-19 press conference Wednesday afternoon, Kenney confirmed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had contacted him about the possibility the arena hosting games, without fans in attendance..Kenney said Bettman didn’t offer specifics and he told the NHL boss that any playoff scheme would have to follow Alberta’s COVID-19 regulation which prohibit large gatherings of people.. bettmanGary Bettman .“The NHL has turned its attention away from neutral sites and is focusing on restarting the 2019-20 season at league arenas,” ESPN reported..Gov. Chris Sununu said he had discussions with the NHL about hosting games at Southern New Hampshire University and that the option was ‘on the table’, ESPN reported..Sources told ESPN that the current favorites are the home rinks for the Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan Division), Edmonton Oilers (Pacific Division) and Minnesota Wild (Central Division). A front-runner from the Atlantic Division has yet to emerge.”.“NHL looking at restarting season in July. Games would be played at 4 or 5 neutral sites with limited or no fans, according to Florida Panthers president Matt Caldwell. On the conference call, he said this plan is not finalized,” reported Fox Sports..Caldwell told Fox: “The players right now are all quarantined. I know for the NHL, our players are quarantined through the end of April, and that will probably be extended into May..“But when we are able to come out of the quarantine period, players are going to need time to work out. I think all leagues are thinking about some training camp that we would do before the start of the season. So that’s going to take us into the June time frame. At least with the NHL, we’re trying to target some time in July.. Trudeau on WE scandal: Case closed .“When we feel that players are safe, and we have enough testing and we have enough ways to get back on the ice, for us it’s probably going to be contained at playing at four or five neutral sites. So that’s all being discussed right now. My guess is that we would start with limited fans or empty arenas. So just with the teams and the associated staffs.”.Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westewrnstandardonline.com.TWITTER: Twitter.com/nobby7694
