The National Hockey League is evaluating how to proceed with its season amid the coronavirus pandemic and will make an announcement about its plans on Thursday.
The NBA suspended its season Wednesday after a Utah Jazz player was found to have tested positive for the coronavirus, the league announced. The NHL summarily announced it would have a decision Thursday.
“The National Hockey League is aware of the NBA’s decision tonight to indefinitely suspend its season due to a player testing positive for the coronavirus,” the league said in a statement. “The NHL is continuing to consult with medical experts and is evaluating the options. We expect to have a further update tomorrow.”
The NHL Players' Association sent out a similar statement.
“We are in continuous contact with the NHL regarding the coronavirus and the recent announcement by the NBA," the association said. "These discussions will continue tomorrow morning, and we will consult with players before commenting further.”
The Golden Knights play on the road Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. Their next home game is scheduled for Tuesday against the Dallas Stars.
In a statement Wednesday, the Golden Knights clarified that ticket holders would be refunded in the case of a canceled game or one that is played without fans.
"At this point, unless a game is canceled or directed to be played behind closed doors, there would not be refunds," the team said.
The NBA announced its decision following Jazz center Rudy Gobert's positive test. The Jazz and Thunder were set to play a game in Oklahoma City on Wednesday but players were pulled off the court before tip-off. Fans were sent home with an announcement that the game had been postponed.
“The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” the league said in a statement. “The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”
The Golden Knights have been monitoring the situation the last couple of days but had not taken major steps. They increased the daily cleanings of City National Arena and closed the kids zone where players often sign autographs but had not announced changes regarding home games at T-Mobile Arena.
"From an organization-wide perspective, we continue to actively monitor the situation while following recommendations and guidance from the CDC and NHL,” the Golden Knights said Tuesday. “We continue to advise our fans, program participants and staff to employ the same precautions they do during cold and flu season, encourage them to stay home if they feel sick and frequently wash hands thoroughly as they would do to avoid any communicable illness.”
The San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets announced Wednesday that they would play home games with no fans in the arena, as both were under orders from their local governments to do so. No NHL team has voluntarily made changes to its home games. Five NHL games took place Wednesday night.