Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers skates during the third period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Mar. 1, 2020 in New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
When the Centers for Disease Control recommended the public avoid gatherings of 50 or more people for an eight-week period, it made the likelihood of the NHL playing any more regular season games seemingly unrealistic.
It was only a few days earlier, on March 12, that the league had “paused’’ its 2019-20 season, with the hope of resuming play at some point. Given the CDC’s recommendation, it now seems likely that if the league does return to finish the current season, it will almost certainly have to proceed directly to the playoffs, in whatever revamped form the league settles on as being the most practical.