Elite League won’t have champs

The Elite League will not have a champion this season, chairman Tony Smith has revealed.

This follows the early shutdown last weekend due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cardiff Devils topped the 10-strong table on the day the plug was pulled last Friday.

They were a point ahead of long-time pacesetters Sheffield Steelers and the Welsh club had three games in hand.

But Smith has outlined plans to hold a version of the play-off weekend.

He revealed: “We’ve conference calls and we’re in agreement there is no champion for this season.

“Stats will remain as they are and there will be statements to come regarding the Champions Hockey League, Continental Cup and the play-offs.

“The play-off weekend isn’t cancelled per se, but we may rename them and we’re looking at possible alternatives as a replacement.”

Smith, who also owns Challenge Cup winners Sheffield Steelers revealed fixtures for last weekend were still going ahead, aligning with government advice about mass gatherings, but a phone call on Friday morning changed all that.

He added: “We had a scare with three Dundee players being checked on Thursday night. We got the all clear and they were OK.

“On Friday morning it was our intention to play until I took a call from Steve Thornton and Robert Fitzpatrick in Belfast and they told me there were two players showing signs.

“There wasn’t enough time for them to decide if it was the coronavirus or flu so they had no option but to cancel their game with Nottingham Panthers”.