A player on the Ottawa Senators tested positive for the coronavirus, the team announced Tuesday, marking the first confirmed case in the NHL.

"The player has had mild symptoms and is in isolation," a statement said. All members of the team have been asked to remain isolated and monitor their health.

The Senators are notifying anyone who's known to have been in close contact with the player.

The NHL suspended its season March 12 amid the coronavirus outbreak. Commissioner Gary Bettman remains hopeful that the league will be able to resume its season at some point and award the Stanley Cup.

Ottawa played its final game before the pause against the Los Angeles Kings on March 11 at Staples Center. The Senators played in Anaheim one night prior, and their contest in San Jose against the Sharks on March 7 proceeded despite Santa Clara County public health officials recommending against large gatherings.

The World Health Organization classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic on the same date as Ottawa's most recent game. The spread of the virus has resulted in the cancellations and suspensions of leagues and tournaments across major and amateur sports worldwide.

Nearly every NHL team has formed a plan to compensate hourly workers who've lost shifts as a result of the hiatus.

Four members of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, including star forward Kevin Durant, were confirmed to have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus earlier Tuesday.

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Welcome to Puck Pursuit, a weekly interview-style podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's national hockey writer.

Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Todd Radom, a longtime graphic designer in the sports industry, joins this week's show to discuss a variety of branding-related topics, including:

• Taking a team logo from a rough idea to a finished product
• Influence of nostalgia on sports branding and merchandise
• Name, logo, and color ideas for Seattle's NHL franchise
• General do's and don'ts of sports logo and uniform design
• Islanders' "Fisherman," Sabres' "Buffalo Slug," Mighty Ducks' "Wild Wing"

... and more!

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The Pittsburgh Penguins inked college free-agent defenseman Cam Lee to a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Tuesday.

"Cam is a good-skating, offensive-minded defenseman that fits the current style of play in today's NHL," general manager Jim Rutherford said. "This signing adds more young depth at defense for us. We're excited to have Cam as a member of the Penguins organization."

Lee, 23, recently completed his senior season at Western Michigan University of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The 6-foot blue-liner led all defensemen on the team with 21 points in 26 games.

Through 137 games with Western Michigan, Lee recorded 18 goals and 85 points and reached the 20-point mark in three of his four seasons.

He's the nephew of former NHL netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

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Montreal Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield is planning to return for a second season with the Wisconsin Badgers, according to Wisconsin State Journal's Todd D. Milewski.

After leading the Badgers in scoring as a freshman this past season, Caufield reportedly told his coach, Tony Granato, that he intends to suit up in his sophomore campaign.

"When they're not ready (for the NHL), they're better off staying to give themselves a better chance of when they get there, they can stay there," Granato said. "Working through the hurdles, working through some of the things that we worked through this year, individually and as a team, are experiences and battles that you have to have to get ready for an NHL season."

Caufield, 19, was selected 15th overall by the Canadiens in the 2019 draft. He recorded 19 goals and 36 points in 36 games during his freshman season at Wisconsin.

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said in February that he thought Caufield should remain in the NCAA next season to continue his development.

Two of Caufield's teammates from this past season have already made their decisions to leave and ink pro contracts. K'Andre Miller signed with the New York Rangers and Alex Turcotte joined the Los Angeles Kings after the Badgers' season concluded on March 8.

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The coronavirus-induced NHL postponement won't mark the end of Joe Thornton's storied career.

"I have years to go," Thornton told TSN's Pierre LeBrun via text when asked about playing next season.

The Sharks are last in the Western Conference in both points and points percentage, so if the season resumes without non-playoff teams, even some type of extended playoff format would likely exclude San Jose. Of course, there's still a chance the remainder of the regular season is played.

Jumbo Joe registered seven goals and 31 points in 70 games this season. The 40-year-old was disappointed he wasn't moved to a contender at the deadline. "I wanted a shot, you know?" he said in February. "Believe it or not. I've been hunting this thing down for 22 years, so I wanted another shot at it."

Thornton is 14th on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,509 - the second-most of any player without a Stanley Cup ring. He's scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

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Eugene Melnyk says he's going to pitch in and help workers at Canadian Tire Centre affected by the postponement of the NHL season.

The Ottawa Senators owner personally pledged to provide part-time and hourly staff members with the income they would've received during the league's hiatus stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, the club announced Tuesday.

As a result, the part-time arena staff will get income for shifts scheduled through April 4, which would have been the end of the regular season.

Melnyk also committed to paying part-time arena workers of the AHL's Belleville Senators - a team he also owns - through April 11, which would have been the end of the AHL regular season and the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Tuesday's commitment from the owner came one day after the NHL club said in general terms that it would develop a program to support part-time employees during the shutdown.

The vast majority of NHL teams had already unveiled specific plans intended to assist arena staff in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Gritty wants fans to know that if they're feeling empty inside without hockey, they're not alone.

On Tuesday, the most popular mascot in hockey penned a heartfelt letter and shared it on Twitter.

"My Dear Gritizens, we have no hockey. But we have each other," Gritty wrote. "Now is when I would typically embrace you with my fur, but instead I will envelope you with my words (social distancing). How are you? I hope everyone is staying safe ... but enough about you, let's talk about me.

"I know a lot of you have been asking if I'm okay and wondering what I've been up to. The most adorable creatures seem to be immune (dogs, small children, and possibly ME?) Regardless, I'm taking this very seriously. My paws are (very) clean. My home is completely wrapped in toilet paper, the virus isn't getting in.

"I'm health in its purest form. My body temp is at the classic Gritty average of -55.6 degrees Celsius, I've never felt slimmer, but I still can't seem to shake this swimmer's ear (ongoing issue). You know what they say, when the virus goes low, we go high.

"Well, the DVD box at the toilet paper store was out of options, so I'm now on my ninth watch of 'Osmosis Jones' (2001 - Fantasy/Action). I also started watching 'Lost.' I couldn't find Seasons 1 or 2, so I started on Season 3 and I can't help but feel like I missed something important.

"I'm lonely, so I'm sure you are too," Gritty added. "We can be lonely together. Maybe being together in loneliness will make us ... not lonely? I recognize that there's a lot going on, and I rightfully assume my duty to be the orange light of hope in this COVID-19-covered world. After all, laughter is the best medicine. Next to medicine.

"Peace. Love. Sanitizer. Waves. (Sincerely,) Gritty."

Going without NHL games for the foreseeable future isn't going to be easy, but if anyone - or rather, any thing - can cheer up hockey fans during the hiatus, it's Gritty.

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Less than a full day after opting for a brief postponement of the Gagarin Cup playoffs, the KHL is delaying them even further.

In an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the league suspended its postseason until April 10 on Tuesday.

The move follows Monday's decision to delay it for one week in order to reschedule and tweak the format for the six remaining clubs after two teams withdrew amid concerns over the outbreak.

Jokerit Helsinki pulled out Saturday, citing Finnish government guidelines, and Kazakhstan-based squad Barys Nur-Sultan followed suit two days later.

The KHL said Tuesday's decision was made in accordance with the recommendations of Russia's Ministry of Sport and other regional authorities.

On Monday, the Russian government banned the entry of foreign nationals and stateless people from March 18 until May 1.

Last Tuesday, the city of Moscow prohibited gatherings of 5,000 people or more until April 10. In the wake of that order, the KHL clubs based in Russia's capital began playing games without fans present.

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