Tuesday's coronavirus roundup: NHL still open to many options
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has raised the possibility of not being able to complete the regular season, while stressing all options remain on the table, during an interview on NBCSN.
In saying, “nothing has been ruled in and nothing ruled out,” Bettman noted the league requires a clearer picture on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which he hopes will happen in the next few weeks.
Bettman said the ideal scenario would be to complete the season to determine playoff seedings in fairness to teams involved in tightly contested races in both conferences. However, he adds: “We understand that may not be possible.”
The live interview broadcast Tuesday marked the first time Bettman has mentioned the possibility of the league not being able to complete the regular season. There were 189 games remaining when play was postponed on March 12.
With the pandemic affecting regions of the continent at different times, Bettman acknowledged the league’s options include the potential of playing games at neutral sites.
Bettman can foresee games being played into the summer. He doesn’t expect the ability to maintain NHL-caliber ice to be an issue because of the league’s modern and air-conditioned facilities.
More NHL
An eighth NHL player has tested positive for COVID-19.
The league announced Tuesday that a third player from the Colorado Avalanche has the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The league says the player is in self-isolation and has not had close contact with teammates or Colorado staff members.
The five other NHL players who tested positive all play for the Ottawa Senators. The Avalanche and Senators played games in California in March before the season was paused.
Motor sports
The Canadian Grand Prix has become the latest Formula One race to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Montreal-based race was scheduled to take place June 12-14. It is the ninth F1 race to be postponed so far, with the French GP on June 26 now the set to be the opening event of the season.
The announcement came after F1 said it was working with promoters on a revised 2020 schedule that is likely to include 15-18 races.
CFL
The Canadian Football League is the latest sports league to postpone play because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CFL, which was scheduled to kick off the regular season on June 11, announced Tuesday that the season won’t start before the beginning of July.
The announcement follows comments by Mayor Naheed Nenshi that Calgary’s ban on public events until June 30 includes CFL and NHL games, should those leagues resume before then.
Toronto mayor John Tory announced last week that Canada’s largest city is canceling events through June 30 that require city permission. That ban did not extend to sporting events, although provincial gathering bans would factor in.