With the CDC recommending the cancellation or postponement of all events of 50 people or more for the next 8 weeks, the best case scenario for the return of the Florida Panthers and NHL hockey may be two months from now.
From quickly scanning the news from various sources, it seems like the most likely plan includes ending the regular season where it’s at and immediately beginning a 20 or 24 team playoff based on point percentage.
With the way things are going now, this seems highly optimistic with a more likely outcome being the cancellation of the rest of the regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs and (hopefully) an on-time start in October.