NHL joins NBA, MLS in suspending season due to coronavirus pandemic

The National Hockey League followed the lead of several other professional sports leagues in suspending Its season, officials announced Thursday afternoon.

“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,” the NHL statement began.

“However, following last night’s news that an NBA player tested positive for coronavirus, and given that our leagues share so many facilities and locker rooms and it now seems likely that some members 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.”

The league also said it hopes “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.”

The league told its teams Thursday morning “not to conduct morning skates, practices or team meetings” amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While the NBA announced Wednesday night it has suspended its season, the NHL initially did not go as far in suspending its season until its announcement Thursday afternoon.

It said Wednesday night it was consulting “with medical experts and is evaluating the options.”

There were 10 games scheduled to be played Thursday.

Before the suspension announcement, CBS Sports reporter Pete Blackburn said “the risk is too high” for the NHL to continue its season.

“Their hand is forced, given what happened in the NBA last night,” he said.

The NBA chose to suspend its season after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, the league announced.

More than 1,300 people in the United States have been diagnosed with coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 7:15 AM with the headline "NHL joins NBA, MLS in suspending season due to coronavirus pandemic."