The NHL suspended all remaining games in its season for an indefinite period over concerns about the Wuhan coronavirus after the NBA, the Major League Soccer, and the PGA Tour took similar measures earlier this week.
The announcement, with less than a month to go in the regular season, and 189 games yet to play, came one day after the NBA also canceled its program for the rest of its season on Wednesday after players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, who play for Utah Jazz, tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, CTVNews reported.
The NBA and NHL share many venues, locker rooms, and facilities rendering the possibility that more players with the NBA and NHL have contracted the virus very likely.
“The NHL has been attempting to follow the mandates of health experts and local authorities while preparing for any possible developments without taking premature or unnecessary measures,” NHL chief Bettman wrote in a statement, the outlet reported.
“However, following last night’s news that an NBA player has tested positive for coronavirus—and given that our leagues share so many facilities and locker-rooms and it now seems likely that some member of the NHL community would test positive at some point—it is no longer appropriate to try to continue to play games at this time,” it continued.
In the run-up to Thursday’s decision, the NHL decided to exclude press agents from the locker rooms and hold press sessions in separate rooms maintaining a safe distance, segregating players, reporters, and staff.
Hockey stadiums have always been a hotspot for the flu and other viruses with many people packed together in poorly ventilated spaces, as was the case with the mumps outbreak in 2014 that infected a considerable swath of its players.
Earlier in the day, the league had already taken precautions to contain the risk of infection as much as possible by requesting the clubs to cancel all training sessions, team meetings, and morning skates.
“We will continue to monitor all the appropriate medical advice, and we will encourage our players and other members of the NHL community to take all reasonable precautions—including by self-quarantine, where appropriate,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman continued. “Our goal is to resume play as soon as it is appropriate and prudent so that we will be able to complete the season and award the Stanley Cup. Until then, we thank NHL fans for your patience and hope you stay healthy.”
The decision, which took immediate effect on Thursday, affects all major league games as well as all playoffs for the rest of the season. Some 189 games were scheduled and slated to start as early as Thursday, March 12.
The NHL Players’ Association applauded the decision, stating:
“The decision to temporarily suspend play due to the COVID-19 pandemic is an appropriate course of action at this time,” the union said in a statement. “The NHLPA will continue to closely monitor this very dynamic situation and remain in daily discussions with the league, our medical consultants, and our players regarding all aspects of this matter. The players are looking forward to the opportunity to resume play in front of hockey fans everywhere.”
It would be the third time in NHL history since 1893 the Stanley Cup would not be awarded after previous instances as the Spanish flu in 1919, and a complete season lockout in 2005.
