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Edmonton To Be Named A Hub City For Playoffs

July 1, 2020, 3:02 PM ET [20 Comments]
Sean Maloughney
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
It isn't going to be the popular decision among players, but it is 100% the right one. Edmonton along with Toronto look like they will be officially announced as the two hub cities for the NHL Playoffs.

As much as the league wanted to push Vegas, the recent explosion of cases throughout the US made that essentially impossible. The lack of any restrictions in Vegas, especially when it comes to cross state travel brought a whole new meaning to the name Sin City. Vegas's loss is certainly Edmonton's gain and while the economic benefits are certainly debatable, this is a great opportunity for the City of Edmonton to showcase itself and remove some of the stigma that the northern hockey town has faced.

In terms of COVID cases, Alberta and Edmonton remain one of the safest options in the country with the facilities needed to host this event. With a population of roughly 1,461,182 people, Edmonton currently has 246 active cases; that's roughly a hundredth of a percent of the population. Vancouver would have also been an excellent choice but their medical experts would not budge on their quarantine policies which I do commend them for. There is still plenty of work that needs to be done.

Edmonton in the summer is a beautiful place and as someone who has lived in both Calgary and Edmonton I truly prefer Edmonton in the summer. The River Valley in Edmonton is the longest stretch of connected parkland in all of North America. Rogers Place and the revitalization of the downtown core and other nearby areas like Oliver Square has helped to revitalized the city.

Winter is a whole other issue and I can respect the opinions of people who do not want to live here during those times but Edmonton in the summer I believe stacks up strong against any other city in this country. Considering it will be summer when Edmonton hosts playoff games, the city will be putting it's best foot forward for all of North America to see.

I will continue to provide updates as they unfold.
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