Jokerit Helsinki, the only Finnish KHL franchise, has withdrawn from the KHL Playoffs.
Before facing SKA St. Petersburg in the second round of the Gargarin Cup Playoffs, the team's general manager, former Edmonton Oilers great Jari Kurri issued a statement via a release that the team was dropping out of the post-season "“on the basis of government guidelines given this week concerning the spread of the coronavirus" and on the basis that the team didn't want to travel to Russia.
“These are exceptional times and they call for exceptional measures,” said Jokerit chairman Jari Kurri in a release. “The well-being and health of the people and our society is paramount and Jokerit wants to shoulder its responsibility in the matter. We have held thorough discussions with our team doctors and players and together come to this conclusion. It is a very difficult buy necessary decision.”
The best-of-seven game series was set to begin in St. Petersburg on Tuesday for the opening two games of the series. While reports have suggested the league might be suspended on Monday, the KHL is one of the few leagues in the world still operating.
Kurri's club beat Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, who were coached by former Oilers employee Craig McTavish earlier this season, to advance to the second round.
“This is really, really frightening, said Kurri. Former NHLers Peter Regin, Sami Lepisto, Antti Niemi, Petri Kontiola, Nicklas Jensen and Viktor Loov currently play for the team.
The KHL said the playoffs with continue with no fans, or a limit on attendance. If the post-season carries on, SKA will meet CSKA Moscow or Dynamo Moscow in the Western Conference Final.
“This is difficult for our team and fans because we have a big rivalry with SKA,” said Kurri to Jim Mathieson of the Edmonton Journal.
In the past six seasons, the two clubs have faced each other 24 times, with being located on the Baltic Sea approximately 400 km away.
“We have been in the KHL for six years and the level of hockey is very good. It’s a great hockey league. I’m sure Mac (MacTavish) has told you that from his few months with Lokomotiv. There is our own league in Finland but our fans come out to watch the KHL players, for sure.
“But, we really couldn’t have played the series because they just announced that if you go outside of Finland and come back you have to be quarantined for two weeks. So there was no way we could have played.”
