NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was criticized here and elsewhere for taking his sweet time to put a pandemic plan together. Looks now like it was worth the wait.

It looks to me, in fact, like this might be Bettman’s finest hour.

It’s early yet. Still technically the first round. But I’m blown away by how seamlessly the league has pulled this off, even after leaving Las Vegas at the last minute and making the tournament an All-Canada proposition.

I doubted whether a bubble concept could work. I certainly doubted whether the frantic intensity of playoff hockey would translate to television with no fans in the stands.

-Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette where you can read more on this topic.