KHL halts playoffs for 1 week to reformat, reschedule after 2 clubs withdraw

The KHL will pause its Gagarin Cup playoffs for one week in order to create a new format and schedule for its six remaining teams after two clubs withdrew from the postseason, the league announced Monday.

Finland's Jokerit Helsinki and Kazakhstan's Barys Nur-Sultan bowed out after the opening round of the playoffs due to the coronavirus outbreak and travel restrictions being implemented worldwide, according to The Hockey News' Steven Ellis.

The six remaining teams - CSKA, Ak Bars, SKA, Dynamo Moscow, Sibir, and Salavat Yulaev - are all based in Russia.

The KHL announced Saturday it is closely monitoring the pandemic and defended its decision to continue its operations. The world's second-largest hockey league was scheduled to begin the second round of its playoffs Tuesday.