Rumor: Talk of the next NHL season beginning outdoors at a picturesque location.

The National Hockey League has a lot of questions to answer before we can begin talking seriously about the start of the 2020 - 2021 season, but one of those questions was probably not on anyone's radar until just now. We all know that the league has been dealing with tough questions regarding whether or not fans will be able to attend their games, a massive factor in a league that is driven by ticket revenue, but what many of us haven't contemplated is the possibility of those games being played outdoors, where the risk of spreading COVID-19 decreases dramatically.

Although we as fans of the game may not have considered it, according to a recent report from Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star it sounds like the league has done exactly that. Speaking to a source with knowledge of the league's plans, Zwolinski was able to learn that the league has had internal discussions about the possibility of starting the season outdoors, specifically at the picturesque site of Lake Louise, Alberta. Lake Louise is famous for its Rocky Mountain backdrop and no doubt many of you have seen it used in hockey commercials or in other media used to promote the sport.

There are still some gigantic questions about the logistics of this whole affair, no surprise given the current climate we are living in, and of course at the top of the list are the safety concerns that having an outdoor event could create during this pandemic. According to Zwolinski it sounds like the talk surrounding a start in Lake Louise remains in the preliminary stages, with many hurdles still to overcome. Lake Louise remains a popular tourist destination so booking hotels, finding adequate space for the players, and pulling off the outdoor game itself all still need to be worked out before this can be entertained as a serious possibility. 

On a final note, despite claims for commissioner Gary Bettman that the 2020 - 2021 season would be played out in full, it appears that scenarios limited the season to 48, 60, and 80 games have all been discussed internally at the NHL during this time. 

Stay tuned for more details.