Ahhh, contingency plans.

Part fantasy, part reality.

In the NBA, there was talk about playing all its remaining games, be it regular season or more likely playoffs, without fans in Las Vegas. Arenas, hotels, etc.

Maybe. Maybe not.

In Major League baseball, there’s been some talk about playing its games without fans in the spring training facilities in Arizona, as well as the Arizona Diamondbacks regular season ballpark, Chase Field in Phoenix.

Maybe. Maybe not.

They all have merit. Vegas has the facilities, the lodging, etc. Of course you wonder about all the safety aspect, but you get the idea that this wouldn’t happen unless there was a medical go-ahead.

Same with Arizona. Sure, it’s ungodly hot there as we approach summer – for those of us in the northeast, at least – and a lot of games would have to be played later in the evening. If MLB is looking at trying to get TV revenue and advertising, well, that might be tough to do. You wonder how many, after the novelty wears off, will watch games late at night on the east coast.

Then there is an alternative plan floating – all these things do is float – about Arizona and Florida both used.

Meanwhile, the NFL is still planning on its season on time. So is college football. We say 50-50 at best.

Who are we missing? Why, the National Hockey League, when a report floated earlier this week the idea that Manchester could possibly, in some minds, serve as a neutral site location, along with Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Really? Fantasy as we struggle with reality.

But still, it would certainly spice up the local sports world, wouldn’t it? We assume the whispers and spitballing was about SNHU Arena, but why stop there? If you’re not playing in front of fans, why not use the other rinks that are big enough, including coming to Nashua’s Conway Arena? Or the Whittemore Center? Let everybody join in on the fun.

Oh, we miss what used to be the good ol’ VW (Verizon Wireless Arena). Once a place that housed nearly 10,000 fans a night for a couple of Manchester Monarchs seasons, it hasn’t seen ice too often other than any ice shows plus the CHAD Police-Fire game over a month ago. SNHU Arena was supposed to host the four NHIAA championship hockey games on March 14, but we know what happened to that.

Now, there have been denials that the NHL would do this, no contact with the arena, the state, whatever, which was certainly the case. But somebody in the NHL came up with the idea – they just didn’t pick locations out of a hat – and threw it out there and it caught fire.

“That’s just part of considering all the potential options when you take into account all the different circumstances,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said recently, mainly about North Dakota. ”

We understand that (getting back to teams’ regular arenas, etc.) may not be possible, that’s why we’re considering every conceivable alternative.”

We can have fun imagining it, even if fans can’t go. Can you imagine the Stanley Cup being skated around SNHU Arena? Imagine a Game 7 in Conway Arena if they decided to do it? Of course logistically, are there enough hotels?

Of course, the Boston Bruins, who had the NHL’s best record at the time of the shutdown, would love this. As B’s coach Bruce Cassidy said on a recent podcast, “I still believe we’re going to have an opportunity (to vie for the Cup), we’re just going to have to wait a little bit.”

You have to figure if no fans are allowed in the building, there would still be a lot of fans milling outside, hoping to get a glimpse of their favorite players. Depending on the conditions, that might be a problem. But the local media, assuming we’d be allowed to cover these games, would certainly love it after all the inactivity.

Ah, the memories of the ol’ VW, of Nashua’s Jeff Giulano scratching and clawing his way behind the net to cause all sorts of trouble for opposing teams.

Meeting after games with Bruce Boudreau, who has now coached Washington, Anaheim and Minnesota in the NHL before being axed by the Wild a couple of months ago, in his office. Getting stuck in the loading dock parking area when the automatic gate wouldn’t open late one Saturday night. Sitting writing stories in the press box in an empty arena. The Monarchs were a lot of fun, and it certainly hasn’t been the same for hockey fans in Manchester since they left.

The NHL coming to New Hampshire? Hey, after everything we’ve gone through in the last five weeks or so, anything’s possible, though highly improbable.

Have a great Easter and stay safe.

Tom King may be reached at 594-1251, or@Telegraph_TomK, or tking@nashuatelegraph.com