The NHL will abandon the rest of the regular season and go straight into the playoffs with 24 teams instead of 16 — if, and not when, it is able to resume play.
In any case, the decision, announced Tuesday by Commissioner Gary Bettman means that the Sharks’ season is officially over, as at 29-36-5 they are out of playoff position.
“While we are disappointed that the San Jose Sharks will not be able to complete our 2019-20 season, we understand and respect the decision made by the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association,” San Jose general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement.