New Hampshire governor: NHL games in Manchester 'on the table'

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New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has held discussions with the NHL about the city of Manchester potentially hosting neutral-site games if the season resumes, he told "The Greg Hill Show" on Friday.

Manchester was among a group of cities including Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, that recently reached out to the NHL to offer to host 2019-20 playoff games.

"There is truth to that," Sununu said. "I have had discussions about that. I don't know whether it's going to happen, but we are talking about it. That's all I can really say right now.

"I can tell you it would be a very interesting opportunity for New Hampshire, but even the venues would have to say, 'Yes, we want this,' because we have to make sure what are the liabilities here; what if a team were to get sick, how is it going to be managed? So we're working on some of those logistics. But that's on the table, for sure."

From 2001 to 2019, Manchester was the host city of the Monarchs, a minor-league affiliate that played in both the AHL and ECHL.

The NHL has considered numerous options since halting operations March 12. The league recently extended its self-quarantine period for players until April 30 and prefers to include a training camp, regular-season games, and a "fair" playoff format for teams on the bubble if the campaign is resumed.

On Thursday, United States President Donald Trump said professional sports will likely have to return without fans.