Report: NHL closing dressing rooms to media to combat coronavirus

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.