Report: NHL to discuss holding 2021 playoffs in bubble

The NHL will reportedly discuss the possibility of returning to a bubble environment for the 2021 playoffs, according to SportsNet's Elliotte Friedman. 

The news comes amid the Vancouver Canucks major COVID-19 outbreak. The club has 14 players on the NHL's COVID list and the Brazil variant has reportedly been identified among the positive cases. 

Several teams across the NHL have experienced outbreaks this season, including the Dallas Stars and Boston Bruins. With that in mind, it's no surprise the league is considering a bubble format. 

The NHL hosted the 2020 playoffs in separate bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto. Friedman notes that it's unclear if the same measures will be used. It depends on how the pandemic evolves.

The 2021 playoffs are slated to begin May 11, though that could change depending on if the league needs to reschedule games.