<
>

Source - NHL hub choices down to just six cities

play
Bettman confident in NHL's plans to return (2:04)

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman provides some background on the league's decision to hold a play-in round and says everyone involved will feel good about the season's outcome. (2:04)

The National Hockey League has narrowed its list for the two possible hubs that will host the resumption of the season to six cities, a source confirmed to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

Las Vegas, Chicago, Los Angeles, Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver have made the cut so far, with Pittsburgh and Dallas eliminated Tuesday. Columbus was scratched off the list Monday.

The final six cities were first reported by The Athletic.

Las Vegas is now considered the U.S. favorite to host NHL playoff games, unless two Canadian cities are selected. Canada's federal government said last week that it would allow the league to quarantine internally, making Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton realistic possibilities -- if not the front-runners.

The NHL has said it will select two hub cities -- one for the Eastern Conference playoffs and one for the Western Conference. The Stanley Cup Final or "final four" would likely be in one of the two cities.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.