As the hockey world waits to see how the NHL will handle the coronavirus pandemic, whether it will continue to play games in some fashion or follow the NBA's lead and suspend the season, NHL teams have been instructed not to hold morning skates, practices or team meetings Thursday.
That meant the Wild cancelled its 10 a.m. morning skate and media availability.
The team was scheduled to host the Vegas Golden Knights at 7 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center.
This uncertainty comes a day after the Wild returned to practice at TRIA Rink amid mostly normal conditions. One of the most obvious changes, aside from the addition of hand sanitizer around the rink, was media access – which was held in an adjacent room to the ice instead of inside the locker room. Although the NHL, in conjunction with the other pro leagues, didn't announce this policy change until Monday, the Wild made this switch last weekend during its road trip in California.
But the viability of the NHL season was put into question after the NBA announced Wednesday night that it is suspending its season after a player on the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19, an illness caused by exposure to a novel coronavirus.
The Wild has 13 games remaining on its schedule and at 35-27-7 with 77 points, it's one point shy of a playoff spot.
