Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski are reporting that the NHL’s plans to resume the 2019-20 season at a neutral site are now officially dead.

Over the last few weeks, the NHL has listened to several cities make pitches — such as Manchester, New Hampshire, and Grand Forks, North Dakota — to potentially host the rest of the 2019-20 season.

“I’d say it’s one possibility, for sure, and it’s something that has been considered and something that has been discussed,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said on April 14. “It’s not our preferred result or outcome.”

Confirming @FriedgeHNIC report that the NHL's "neutral site" (i.e. non-NHL arena) plan for summer restart is dead. No North Dakota. No New Hampshire.

Plan never got out of the concept stages due to lack of accommodations, and challenges in staging and televising games.

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 22, 2020

Friedman says the NHL is now targeting a solution where one team per division hosts all the games in their city.

[W]e’re looking at one NHL city per division to resume the season. Teams from that division would be brought to this location. And, it sounds like the plan is to complete the regular season — if possible. One idea, a triple-header per day at each location to get it done in three weeks. The players have to agree.

Looking at the CDC and Canadian information, I could see places like Edmonton, Minnesota, and Raleigh being options if the league and the respective governments were willing.

Wysh added:

Latest push is for NHL to return to 2-4 of its arenas in areas where the COVID-19 outbreak has been managed and restrictions would allow it. Very much targeting completion of the regular season. No timetable. NHLPA needs to sign off on any of it.

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 22, 2020

The solution would allow for the league to still follow Dr. Fauci’s recommendations.

“Nobody comes to the stadium,” Dr. Fauci said. “Put them in big hotels wherever you want to play. Keep them very-well surveilled and have them tested every week. And make sure they don’t end up infecting each other or their family and just let them play their season out. People will say well you can’t play without spectators.

“I think you’ll probably get enough buy-in from people who are dying to see [sports].”

Headline photo: Elizabeth Kong/RMNB