The NHL will close dressing rooms to the media to combat the spread of the coronavirus, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Players will now be available to the media in a formal press conference area. MLB, MLS, and the NBA are expected to follow suit on the new protocol, Friedman adds.

Only a "couple of teams" are closing their dressing rooms for the time being, but it could become a league-wide practice over the next 48 hours or so, Sportsnet's Chris Johnston reported on the latest edition of "Saturday Headlines."

The NHL asked teams for available building dates later in April in case of postponements, lined up potential neutral-site venues in the event that only certain regions become unsuitable to host games, and discussed playing in empty arenas as a worst-case scenario, Johnston added.

The league sent a memo Friday to all teams, urging players to limit contact with fans as concerns about the virus grow. The league also ordered its employees to stop all business-related travel outside North America.

Santa Clara County in Northern California has recommended the cancellation of large events, including San Jose Sharks home games, but the team announced Friday that all scheduled affairs at SAP Center will proceed as originally scheduled.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators dismissed CEO Jim Little after becoming aware of abuse allegations his former wife, Lara Smith, made toward him, the club said, according to the National Post's Adrian Humphreys.

The Senators reportedly discovered several allegations of harsh or abusive behavior, including previous public claims of domestic abuse made by Smith toward Little.

Ottawa fired Little less than two months into his tenure Wednesday. The former executive said he was fired for using "strong language" during a heated phone argument with team owner Eugene Melnyk on Feb. 14.

Following the dispute, the Senators conducted an investigation into Little's behavior, during which they found Smith had published online accounts of his abuse during their marriage.

"As the weeks and months unfolded, I was the victim of extreme control, psychological, and at times, physical abuse," Smith reportedly wrote in August 2019. "Going to yoga class and the grocery store were cause for outbursts of rage."

The club confirmed knowledge of the blog post and that it was unearthed after Little's disagreement with Melnyk.

"The pattern of behaviour by Mr. Little within the organization, which violated the team’s code of conduct and the policies of the NHL, coupled with the detailed allegations contained within an online posting discovered subsequently, was extremely concerning given his conduct within the company’s head office," Senators team spokesperson Dan Gagnier said.

Little disputed the allegations through his lawyer.

"The suggestion that the Senators terminated Mr. Little’s employment because of (Smith's) allegations ... is untrue," his representative, Matthew Sammon, said, adding that the matter will now be addressed in court.

Sammon also called Smith's allegations "defamatory" and said they aren't "attributed to any specific source."

Smith and Little were married in July 2015 but were no longer living together as of October 2017, according to divorce records.

The Senators hired Little on Jan. 10.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi suffered an injury to his spleen Friday night while playing for the AHL's Laval Rocket against the Cleveland Monsters, the team announced Saturday.

The Montreal Canadiens prospect was taken to hospital in Cleveland, where he spent the night under observation.

He's scheduled to return to Montreal on Saturday, where the Canadiens' medical staff will evaluate him further. A timetable for his recovery has yet to be determined, but the club will provide an update in the coming days.

Kotkaniemi has collected 13 points in 13 games with the Rocket. Montreal assigned him to Laval on Feb. 1 after he managed only eight points in 36 contests during his second NHL campaign.

The 19-year-old forward notched 11 goals and 34 points across 79 games in his rookie season.

Montreal drafted him third overall in 2018.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The International Ice Hockey Federation and Hockey Canada are expected to cancel the 2020 Women's World Championship in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia, due to the growing threat of the coronavirus, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

The tournament was scheduled to begin March 31. Six other IIHF events scheduled this month were canceled earlier this week due to the virus, and the focus will now shift to whether the World U-18 Championship in April and the men's worlds in May can go on as originally planned, Dreger adds.

Numerous sporting events around the world have recently been canceled, postponed, or played without fans in attendance in an effort to stop the virus from spreading.

The NHL sent a memo to all teams Friday to remind players to limit contact with fans and also order league employees to stop all business-related travel outside North America.

The Women's World Championship was set to feature a 10-team field: Canada, the United States, Finland, Russia, and Switzerland made up Group A, while Japan, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark, and Hungary were in Group B.

In 2019, Team USA defeated Finland to claim its fifth consecutive gold medal at the event.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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.

Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.