The NHL has sent a memo to teams instructing players to limit contact with fans amid concerns over the coronavirus, deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed to The Canadian Press on Friday.

The NBA took similar precautions Monday, recommending players use fist-bumps rather than high-fives when interacting with fans, and avoid taking items for autographs.

Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday he's ordered a stop to all business-related travel outside of North America for league employees. If employees travel to affected locations of their own accord, the league is mandating a two-week quarantine upon return before those individuals can resume work.

A number of sporting events around the globe have been canceled or postponed as countries work to contain the virus. Switzerland's top hockey league has pushed back its playoffs until mid-March, while some Italian soccer games have taken place with no fans in attendance.

The NHL has not yet explored dramatic measures to contain the outbreak. Santa Clara County in northern California has recommended the cancellation of large events, including San Jose Sharks games. Nevertheless, the Sharks announced Friday all SAP Center events will proceed as scheduled this weekend. The team did, however, urge fans to follow the county health department's suggestion that people at "higher risk" avoid mass gatherings.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs activated defenseman Cody Ceci off injured reserve, the team announced Friday.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe revealed shortly thereafter that Ceci will be in the lineup for Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks, according to TSN's Mark Masters.

The 26-year-old missed the club's previous 14 games after suffering an ankle injury Feb. 5 against the New York Rangers.

Ceci entered Friday's game having registered eight points while logging 20:38 of average ice time through 54 games this season. The 6-foot-2 rearguard also plays a vital role on the penalty kill, leading the team with 2:49 of shorthanded ice time per game coming into the contest against the Ducks.

Toronto is also expecting to get blue-chip rearguard Morgan Rielly back in the near future, while Jake Muzzin remains out with a broken hand.

The Maple Leafs loaned defenseman Timothy Liljegren to the AHL's Toronto Marlies in a corresponding move Friday night.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs activated defenseman Cody Ceci off injured reserve, the team announced Friday.

Ceci, 26, has missed the club's last 14 games after suffering an ankle injury Feb. 5 against the New York Rangers.

The 6-foot-2 rearguard has registered eight points while logging 20:38 of average ice time through 54 games this season.

Toronto is also expecting to get blue-chip rearguard Morgan Rielly back in the near future, while Jake Muzzin remains out with a broken hand.

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The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Josh Archibald to a two-year contract extension, the team announced Friday.

It carries an average annual value of $1.5 million, TSN's Ryan Rishaug reports. That's a modest raise on the one-year, $1-million pact Archibald signed with the Oilers last July.

Archibald was set to be a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The 27-year-old has matched a career high with 12 goals this season, while also chipping in eight assists across 59 games.

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Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

Well, we nailed our best bet again on Thursday. But that's all we nailed while slumping to a frustrating 1-3 finish.

There's a ton of hockey upcoming this weekend though, offering plenty of opportunities to make it back. Let's dive in.

Friday notes

The Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks couldn't be trending in more opposite directions right now as they get set to meet tonight north of the border. The Avs have won nine straight on the road, while the Canucks have lost four in a row overall and three of their last four on home ice. Still, this is a good spot for Vancouver to bust out of its slump.

The Canucks are on an 8-0-2 run at the Rogers Arena coming off a home loss. They had won 11 of 12 overall at home before this little slump, and I like them to rediscover that form and make it four wins out of six at home against the Avalanche.

Like Colorado, the Vegas Golden Knights are playing excellent lately too. They've won nine of their last 10 games, but only one of those victories has come on the road. That recent surge leads to an inflated Friday price on the Knights against the Winnipeg Jets, even though Vegas is below .500 on the road this season. The Jets, meanwhile, have won four straight at home, and they offer good value at this price.

Friday bets:

• Best bet: Vancouver Canucks (+115)
• Winnipeg Jets (+120)

Saturday notes

If current trends continue, neither the Carolina Hurricanes nor the New York Islanders will earn a playoff berth, making Saturday's meeting at Nassau Coliseum vitally important for both teams.

The Hurricanes have lost four straight, and the Islanders have dropped five consecutive contests and nine of their last 11. Carolina is three points back of New York for the final playoff spot in the East with a game in hand, making this matchup an absolute must win, and I firmly believe more in the Hurricanes' talent to get them back on track. The Hurricanes have won three straight road games against the Islanders, and 12 of their last 16 in Long Island. Take them to pick up two key points on Saturday.

The New York Rangers are also in the thick of the wild-card race while playing terrific hockey as they prepare to host the New Jersey Devils. This is a crucial game during the Rangers' playoff push, and it's hard to envision them slipping up. The Devils have lost four straight at Madison Square Garden and nine of their last 12 clashes there, with seven of those defeats coming by two-plus goals.

The Philadelphia Flyers are no longer fighting for a wild-card spot as the hottest team in the NHL right now, and they're instead setting their sights on winning the Metropolitan Division. The Buffalo Sabres are in town on Saturday, and they've lost six straight at the Wells Fargo Center and 10 of their last 12 in Philly.

The Sabres have scored two goals or fewer in each of their last four trips to Philadelphia, which doesn't bode well as they get set to face Carter Hart, who's 19-2-2 at home this season with a 1.64 GAA and .942 save percentage. Hart has allowed two or fewer goals in all six home games since returning from an injury, and in 18 of his 20 starts since the beginning of November.

Saturday bets:

• Best bet: Hurricanes (+105)
• Rangers -1.5 (+150)
• Sabres' team total under 2.5 (-120)

Sunday notes

The Minnesota Wild round out a Southern California weekend on Sunday in Anaheim after visiting the Kings on Saturday. The Wild have won six straight on the road heading into the weekend, and they've experienced plenty of success in Anaheim, winning five of their last six games away to the Ducks. They're sitting at -140 right now for Saturday's game, so we should get them slightly cheaper on Sunday prior to the second of back-to-back contests.

Playing on consecutive days hasn't seemed to matter so far this campaign though for the Wild, who were 2-0 on the road in February on no rest, and have won three of their last four in this spot. The Ducks, meanwhile, have lost five straight home games when their opponent is playing without rest and eight of their last nine. Ride with the road favorite here.

Earlier in the day, the Hurricanes visit the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the total in that game should offer good value. I expect it to be sitting at 6 or 6.5. The last six meetings between these teams in Pittsburgh have gone under, as have 12 of 14. None of those 14 games have featured six-plus goals, and we should look for that to continue on Sunday afternoon.

Sunday bets:

• Best bet: Wild
• Hurricanes/Penguins under (play at 6 or higher)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault will return to the lineup against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed, according to the Winnipeg Sun's Scott Billeck.

Perreault, 32, missed the team's last 16 games after exiting with an upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 31.

The veteran winger has contributed six goals and 14 points in 46 contests this season, his sixth with the Jets.

Winnipeg has won just twice in its last six outings but remains in the thick of the tightly contested Western Conference playoff race.

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Montreal Canadiens legend and Hall of Famer Henri Richard died Friday at the age of 84, the team announced.

Richard played 20 seasons with the Canadiens, winning a remarkable 11 Stanley Cups - an NHL record for a player. He joined the Habs during the 1955-56 campaign and was on five consecutive championship-winning teams to begin his career.

He served as Montreal's captain from 1971 to 1975, and the organization retired his No. 16 before Richard was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979. Richard finished his career with 1,046 points in 1,258 games.

A four-time postseason All-Star and Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner, Richard was the younger brother of fellow Canadiens legend Maurice "The Rocket" Richard.

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