The second-biggest professional hockey league in the world defended its decision to continue operating after one of its best teams withdrew from the playoffs amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

"KHL, as a major international sports league, is acutely aware of its responsibility to fans, teams, and staff, and is closely monitoring the situation as it develops and will strictly comply with instructions from state authorities in all participating countries of the championship when it comes to protecting public health," the league said in a statement Saturday night.

"The (COVID-19) pandemic is a rapidly evolving situation, and in this regard, KHL is in consultation with clubs and all relevant authorities to diligently manage the impact of this matter."

Finland-based team Jokerit Helsinki pulled out of the KHL's Gagarin Cup playoffs Saturday, citing the country's guidelines that are intended to combat the outbreak. The club was scheduled to play SKA St. Petersburg in the second round beginning Tuesday.

Last week, Moscow implemented a ban on gatherings of 5,000 or more people, but KHL teams based in the city have continued playing. Dynamo Moscow defeated Spartak Moscow in their first-round series, and Dynamo is now set to face CSKA - a team that also hails from Russia's capital - in Round 2.

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A Calgary Flames fan is raising money for hourly and event staff at the Scotiabank Saddledome whom the team's ownership group won't be compensating during the hiatus resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Raymond Lau, a longtime season-ticket holder and former hourly employee at the arena, started a GoFundMe on Saturday night after learning that Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation was choosing not to pay relevant workers for the lost shifts.

Several Flames players, including captain Mark Giordano, Sean Monahan, Milan Lucic, Sam Bennett, and Zac Rinaldo have donated to the effort, as have some of the players' partners, including Lauren Giordano and Amber Brodie.

The campaign began with a goal of $10,000 but raised more than $38,000 overnight.

All of the proceeds will go toward the arena employees affected by the shutdown. Lau said if CSEC reverses course and decides to pay them, the money will be donated to the Flames Foundation, to a local charity, or it will be used in a way that still benefits the hourly and event staff.

The Flames ownership group sent an email to the workers explaining that unless otherwise notified, all scheduled shifts were canceled, and any shifts from March 13 onward must be approved by a supervisor.

Many NHL owners and several players have said they will help out their arena workers to account for postponed or canceled shifts.

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The ECHL will cancel the remainder of its season and playoffs as a precautionary measure to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the league announced Saturday.

"The decision by the ECHL to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 season does not come lightly, as this is an emotional time for our players, coaches, member teams, fans, and staff," commissioner Ryan Crelin said. "As each passing day raises additional concerns for the safety of those in the ECHL community and as we take precautionary measures in conjunction with our local authorities across the continent to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it has become apparent that this is the prudent decision."

Salaries of players will be paid through Monday, and players will have insurance through June 30, according to The Athletic's Sara Civian.

The ECHL, which is a tier below the AHL, has teams that are affiliated to 25 different NHL clubs.

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The KHL hasn't suspended play due to the coronavirus pandemic, but one of its best teams is taking matters into its own hands.

Jokerit Helsinki pulled out of the ongoing Gagarin Cup playoffs, the club announced Saturday, citing Finnish government guidelines put in place to help stop the spread of the virus.

The club was on the verge of facing SKA St. Petersburg in the second round of the postseason beginning Tuesday, but decided not to travel there and withdrew from the playoffs after "long talks held between club leadership, doctors and players."

"These are exceptional times and they call for exceptional measures," Jokerit chairman and hockey legend Jari Kurri said. "The well-being and health of the people and our society is paramount and Jokerit wants to shoulder its responsibility in the matter."

Kurri added that it was a "very difficult but necessary decision."

The KHL is one of the few remaining sports leagues that continues to play amid the outbreak. The league is primarily based in Russia, where the capital city of Moscow has banned gatherings of at least 5,000 people. However, both CSKA and Dynamo Moscow have played on, advancing to a second-round matchup against each other.

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The NHL sent a memo to its players Friday outlining a rough plan for the coming days amid the postponed season, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.

Players will continue to receive their paychecks as scheduled. Three pay periods remained when the pause was announced.

Payments weren't guaranteed for players, as the CBA gives NHL owners the ability to negotiate different salary levels for players in the event that the league suspends its operations due to "a state of war or other cause beyond the control of the league or of the club," according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.

Players were also asked to self-quarantine at home in their club's city and avoid travel. They'll be permitted to see family outside of their respective cities but must alert their team's general manager, per TSN's Darren Dreger.

The memo stressed that players adhere to the self-quarantine period, which will likely last approximately a week, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. This would allow the NHL "to be in the best position possible to assess (the) next steps regarding the potential resumption of play."

Players are encouraged to work out at home and not organize informal skates at public arenas, according to Seravalli. Those rehabbing from injuries can continue to use team facilities if necessary but are recommended to use alternative methods such as FaceTime or webinars with training staff.

After the quarantine period is complete, the league hopes to first re-open the team's facilities for players to work on conditioning before introducing a training camp period to get back to game speed.

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The Calgary Flames' ownership group will not be compensating hourly and event staff for shifts canceled due to the coronavirus.

Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, the entity that owns the Flames, the WHL's Hitmen, the National Lacrosse League's Roughnecks, and the CFL's Stampeders, informed relevant workers they won't be paid for work lost to the shutdown, according to an email obtained by the Calgary Herald's Sammy Hudes.

The Flames, Hitmen, and Roughnecks all play their home games at Calgary's Scotiabank Saddledome.

"Unless notified by your supervisor, all scheduled shifts are canceled," the email reads, according to Hudes. "CSEC will pay for your March 12, 2020, shift if you were scheduled to work as the notice of cancellation was less than the 24 hours required by Alberta employment standards. Any shifts on March 13, 2020, and beyond must be pre-approved by your supervisor."

CSEC added that no payments will be made for shifts canceled with more than 24 hours' notice.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced earlier this week that the federal government will waive the standard one-week waiting period for employment insurance amid the outbreak. CSEC workers are eligible to apply, but the organization stated that "employees must have sufficient insurable hours to qualify for EI benefits."

The city of Calgary is footing $290 million of the $565 million going toward CSEC's new arena project.

Another Canadian NHL club, the Winnipeg Jets, has also confirmed it won't be paying roughly 1,200 hourly and event staff during the hiatus. "They work when we work," True North Sports and Entertainment chairman Mark Chipman said Thursday.

The New Jersey Devils were among multiple NHL teams that committed Friday to paying hourly and event staff for games and events that are postponed or canceled amid the pandemic.

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Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky is pledging $100,000 toward the salaries of the team's arena workers who are being displaced during the pause in the NHL's schedule, according to NHL.com's Alain Poupart.

Bobrovsky's teammates are committed to matching the donation, and Panthers ownership will "contribute to help part-time employees compensate for lost wages due to canceled or postponed events at BB&T Center," Poupart writes.

Several other NHL clubs have also announced an intention to compensate arena staff during postponed games.

The league officially suspended play Thursday due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, following the NBA's lead. Many other professional sports leagues and events worldwide have also been canceled or postponed.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love donated $100,000 through his foundation on Wednesday to support local staff affected by the NBA's suspended season.

Bobrovsky, 31, joined the Panthers this offseason after signing a seven-year contract in July.

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