Las Vegas has competition for hosting NHL postseason

Perhaps no place better fits the NHL’s criteria to be a hub city than Las Vegas.

There are thousands of hotel rooms on the Strip, plenty of locker room space at T-Mobile Arena, enough available practice rinks and a comprehensive coronavirus testing plan in place.

Aside from the face-melting summer heat, it’s an ideal location.

Commissioner Gary Bettman indicated the NHL would wait another two to three weeks before selecting the two hub cities to host the 24-team postseason tournament.

Until then, here is a look at the other nine contenders competing with Las Vegas, in alphabetical order:

Chicago

Thumbs up: The infrastructure is top notch, with plenty of hotel rooms downtown and a variety of high-end restaurants so players aren’t stuck eating room service or Italian beef sandwiches. The Blackhawks’ practice facility is around the corner from the United Center, and there are two more rinks within a mile.

Thumbs down: As of May 15, Cook County had more documented coronavirus cases than any other county in the nation. Also, the NHL loves its Marriott points, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s family owns the Hyatt hotel chain. That’s slightly awkward.

Verdict: The spread of COVID-19 throughout the area should bump the Second City down the league’s list.

Columbus, Ohio

Thumbs up: The league can turn the arena district into its own hockey village, with all the necessary amenities located within walking distance. The Blue Jackets’ practice rink (OhioHealth Ice Haus) is attached to Nationwide Arena, and there are additional facilities a short drive away on the Ohio State campus.

Thumbs down: There are three hotels less than a 10-minute stroll from the arena. But are they big enough to house 12 teams and staff? Setting up shop at multiple properties might be the major flaw in an otherwise stellar bid.

Verdict: If hotel capacity isn’t an issue, this appears to be one of the front-runners.

Dallas

Thumbs up: American Airlines Center is centrally located and hosted the NBA Finals on two occasions, along with the 2018 NHL draft. The Dallas Stars operate eight facilities (16 ice sheets) across the Metroplex, meaning each team could have access to its own exclusive practice rink.

Thumbs down: The humidity during the middle of August is gross. Would the ice surface hold up through multiple games? Also, Dallas County reported a record number of new coronavirus cases this week.

Verdict: A perfectly acceptable bid. It’s like Pittsburgh, only hotter and with Whataburger.

Edmonton, Alberta

Thumbs up: The Ice District around Rogers Place features a five-star hotel attached by a pedway and two more hotels attached by walkways, a community rink and a casino. Players and staff never would have to leave the NHL bubble, except to play golf or visit West Edmonton Mall. And the city also has a low number of coronavirus cases.

Thumbs down: The primary obstacle with any Canadian city is the mandated 14-day quarantine for anyone entering the country. Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly indicated that could be a deal breaker.

Verdict: With significant political muscle behind it, this has to be considered Canada’s top bid.

Los Angeles

Thumbs up: Staples Center has experience handling large-scale events and would be the only neutral site, since the Kings are making plans for the draft lottery. The hotel and entertainment options at L.A. Live are within walking distance, and the SoCal weather is tough to beat, too.

Thumbs down: Anyone who has sat in traffic on the 110 knows how difficult it would be to shuttle teams 15 miles across town to the Kings’ practice facility in El Segundo. More significantly, Los Angeles County remains a coronavirus hot spot.

Verdict: This was a surprise, late entry to the field and a long shot to be selected.

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota

Thumbs up: It’s the “State of Hockey,” with almost as many ice rinks as mosquitoes. In addition to Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul and Target Center in Minneapolis, there’s probably a sweet backyard setup in Edina where the owners will hand out hot dish casserole, Juicy Lucy burgers and free pop to all the players after each game.

Thumbs down: The hotels in St. Paul are spread out. Would being a host help heal the Twin Cities after being at the epicenter of protests calling for police reform following the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis?

Verdict: It was probably behind Columbus from the outset. Now, it’s complicated.

Pittsburgh

Thumbs up: Western Pennsylvania continues to report low numbers of coronavirus cases compared to other areas along the East Coast. There are enough hotels close to PPG Paints Arena, which handled the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 and 2017. And the food can be catered by Primanti Brothers. French fries and cole slaw on everything!

Thumbs down: Ice is scarce downtown. UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, where the Penguins practice, is about a 30-minute drive. Robert Morris University’s Colonials Arena is more than 20 minutes away.

Verdict: This was a dark horse bid but seems to be moving up the list of contenders.

Toronto

Thumbs up: This would be like the Beatles playing a concert at Anfield in Liverpool. The hockey-mad “GTA” (greater Toronto area) is Canada’s largest media market and has ample hotel rooms near Scotiabank Arena. Practice rinks are abundant, and we might finally see the showdown between Blues goalie Jordan Binnington and Justin Bieber.

Thumbs down: The state of emergency in Ontario was extended by the government until June 30 following a spike in coronavirus infections. And daily testing numbers across the province have fallen short of the target.

Verdict: It feels like the NHL’s “safety school” in Canada if Edmonton falls through.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Thumbs up: Hello, it’s Vancouver in late summer. Stanley Park. Gastown. Bea-u-ti-ful. The city hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics and could handle an event this size. There are also financial considerations for the NHL, as the exchange rate means it would be less expensive to hold games in Canada.

Thumbs down: The Canucks have plans to build a practice facility downtown. Until then, the closest rinks are at the University of British Columbia and suburban Burnaby. Rogers Arena is beginning to show its age, too.

Verdict: The stunner at the cocktail party who doesn’t look nearly as good up close.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.