Here’s what NHL players will go through in the bubbles during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Hockey will be getting back underway on August 1, when the weirdest Stanley Cup Playoffs of all-time get started. For this to happen, players and staff members of the playoff teams are going to have to stay in a bubble. The Western Conference will stay in Edmonton while the Eastern Conference will stay in Toronto until the Conference Finals. Then they’ll move to Edmonton.
Just how are these bubbles going to work though? Yesterday, the league dropped a few hints. The bubbles will be very unique, as they’ll have to provide many people with the amenities needed to play and live inside the bubble.
Sportsnet reporter Chris Johnston grabbed some screenshots of what the bubbles, or “secure zones”, will look like.
A look at the NHL's "secure zone" in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/MB1yP1opPb
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 24, 2020
A look at the NHL's "secure zone" in Edmonton. pic.twitter.com/FxOEmK3cDv
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) July 24, 2020
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As you can see, these bubbles are perfect for the players. They’ll have recreation areas and enough restaurants and bars should be open that even the pickiest of eaters will be able to find somewhere to get food. The league is providing a concierge service so players can order from restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
To ensure the bubble will remain secure, there will be security guards set up alongside the fencing, which will keep players and staff members safe. Players and staff members will have access to various recreational activities, including tennis, movie theaters, and more. The hotels are equipped with dedicated lounges for watching games. There will be pools and patios as well. Teams will be arriving to their respective hub cities on July 26.
The NHL also dropped some hints on how they will handle the unique problem of having no fans at games. They’ve had fans from each of the teams in the postseason record chants, which should create some crowd noise. Usually, there are 20 cameras when broadcasting games, but the Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature 32 cameras.
Broadcasts will feature unique angles that will highlight the features of each arena instead of focusing on the lack of fans.
The league has answered a lot of questions about how the games will happen and the bubbles. Of course, they have yet to answer the big question – what happens if someone tests positive in the bubble? Hopefully, that’s a question the NHL will not have to answer.