A Trip Down Memory Lane: 2020 NHL Bubble
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Yet another great episode of the NHL’s reality show would have to have been the events of the 2020 playoffs. The COVID-19 pandemic was getting worse and worse by the day and once March 2020 rolled around, every sport was shut down until further notice. This was quite uncharted territory as the league had not been put on hold like that since the NHL lockout in 2012-13.
After five months of waiting, the NHL and NHLPA came to an agreement on how to finish off the 2019-20 season. The top 24 teams, 12 from each conference, in the standings from when the shutdown occurred in March made the postseason. The Eastern Conference teams were stationed in a bubble in Toronto, and the Western Conference teams in Edmonton. This bubble situation was an adjustment on all ends, from those inside the bubble to those watching from afar. Skaters played without the roaring crowds that they were used to, fans watched from home only to see their ideal seats blocked off, and those in charge of the presentation worked incredibly hard to create a fun experience for all fans and players.
Despite the NHL playoffs typically only allowing the top 16 teams to make it, 2020 was quite different. The season resumed in early August, and the Stanley Cup champions were crowned in late September, which is usually when the preseason is occurring. With the top 24 teams making the trip to Toronto and Edmonton that year, the top four in both conferences played in a round-robin tournament to determine seeds, while the bottom eight each played in a best-of-five series qualifier round.
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Teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens had no business being in the playoffs, as they were seeds 23 and 24, respectively. However, the qualifier round brought the excitement and entertainment that the sports world had been lacking for the previous five months. Both Chicago and Montreal made an unexpected jump out of the qualifiers and into round one as well as other underdogs such as the Arizona Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets. Although it may not have been fun to play in games without the craziness of NHL crowds, it must have been fun to be playing summer hockey instead of being on the golf course, like they were expected to be if the season had never been paused.
Despite it not necessarily being business as usual, the playoffs continued in typical fashion, four rounds and each a best-of-seven series. Everything came down to the number three seed Dallas Stars versus the number one seed Vegas Golden Knights in the West and the number two seed Tampa Bay Lightning versus the number six seed New York Islanders in the East. With the Stars and Lightning coming out on top, the Stanley Cup Final was set.
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The Tampa Bay squad made its way to Rogers Place in Edmonton and was hungry for the win. Despite Dallas winning the first game in the series, Tampa Bay won three straight, gave another up to the Stars in game five, but closed it out and won the Stanley Cup in game six.
Photo credit: NHL.com
From the original shutdown in March to months of uncertainty in the world of sports and outside of it, to a decision to play summer hockey in Canadian bubbles, the 2020 NHL postseason was one for the books. Fans still got to witness the fun and entertainment of the NHL playoffs, even more than usual due to the 24 team format. Players and coaches got the chance to prove that they deserved a spot in the tournament despite unsureness about any continuation of the season just months prior. All NHL employees were put to the ultimate test when it came to things such as visuals, marketing, safety, and comfort, and they were greatly successful. The NHL put on quite the show during a time when there was not a lot, if anything, to look forward to.
