![EDMONTON, AB - FEBRUARY 11: Goaltender Mike Smith #41 of the Edmonton Oilers stops Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks at Rogers Place on February 11, 2020, in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_850,h_560,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdawindycity.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1200211899-850x560.jpeg)
Are the Chicago Blackhawks at a disadvantage playing the Edmonton Oilers in their building?
The Chicago Blackhawks are getting ready for an incredibly difficult series against the Edmonton Oilers. They are being given a shot to play in a playoff series because of the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the season. They were the last Western Conference team to receive an invite to the return to play Stanley Cup Playoffs tournament so this is like a second wind. Well, due to the virus and its restrictions, the league is playing the games in two hub cities.
They created a bubble in Edmonton and Toronto. The West teams are in Edmonton and the East teams are in Toronto. That means the Oilers get to play in this series (and potentially beyond) on home ice. Is that creating a noticeable disadvantage for the Blackhawks as they try to take them down? A lot of people might believe it is but that isn’t likely the case.