As expected, the Swedish Hockey League has moved from postponement to cancellation. The top pro league in Sweden has officially announced that the playoffs have been cancelled, effectively ending the 2019-20 season.
The SHL had initially postponed the beginning of the 2020 postseason to May, but upon further review of the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, made the decision on Saturday that they would recommend cancelling the playoffs altogether. That request was approved this morning by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. SHL CEO Michael Marchal stated (translated) that “It is an extremely sad decision but… we all have a responsibility to limit the Corona [virus] in society and it is obvious that we at SHL should take our responsibility for our audience and the working environment for players and employees.”
With the season officially over, recently rumored NHL targets Fredrik Handemark of the Malmo Redhawks and Mathias Brome of Orebro HK could intensify their discussions with their North American suitors. The season is also done for a number of top NHL prospects, such as disgruntled New York Rangers forward Lias Andersson, fellow Rangers property and top SHL rookie defender Nils Lundkvist, and young L.A. Kings forward Samuel Fagemo. How the premature end of the season may impact the decisions of many prospects in regards to coming to North America next season remains to be seen.