The NHL is temporarily cutting the salaries of league office employees by 25% due to the coronavirus pandemic that's put the 2019-20 season on pause, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.

The league is hoping the move will allow it to avoid layoffs, Kaplan's sources said.

The Montreal Canadiens, meanwhile, are proceeding with temporary layoffs. Groupe CH, which owns the Canadiens, announced Tuesday that it will temporarily lay off 60% of the organization's employees effective March 30. Ownership also created a $6-million fund to "enhance" affected workers' employment insurance benefits for eight weeks.

The NHL officially suspended play March 12 due to the growing threat of the COVID-19 virus.

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