Another shoe dropped before you even got to lunch hour Thursday.

The NCHC announced it has cancelled all four of its quarterfinal series at campus sites and its Frozen Face-off in St. Paul, Minn.

This means No. 6 Denver will not play host to Omaha this weekend at Magness Arena, nor will it have a chance to clinch an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Frozen Face-off.

Of course, it’s probably only a matter of time until another panic button is pushed and the NCAA Tournament is called off. Still, if it’s held, one would have to think the Pioneers would stand a strong chance of being a No. 2 seed in a regional, one of which is scheduled to be held in Loveland in two weeks.

On Wednesday, the NCHC determined the games would be held but without fans. The NCAA had put a similar plan in place for its various winter tournaments – including the Loveland Regional earlier in the day.

NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton fielded questions from league’s media Thursday afternoon, and here were some takeaways:

Health and safety first, and not just for fans, but also players, arena workers and media: “Our decision-making process was grounded in what is best for the health and safety of everyone involved.”

There was not one tipping point, but because the Wuhan Coronavirus situation is so fluid, so, too, were the NCHC’s decisions. Fenton described the circumstances and events changing ” minute by minute.”

He consulted with member schools athletic directors, four of whom comprise the conference’s advisory board, as well as school presidents and chancellors. In addition, the NCAA and health officials such as University of Nebraska Omaha Chancellor Jeffrey Gold, who is an M.D., and North Dakota Interim President Joshua Wynne, who also is an M.D.

Fenton said all parties were unanimous in voting for cancelling the NCHC Tournament, and that possibility had been raised on Wednesday.

The NBA’s decision to suspend its season after two players tested positive for the virus changed the outlook.

“(Thursday)  morning there were more conversations with the advisory committee,” Fenton said. “There were changes on the individual campuses. The recommendation was made toward cancelling.”

What’s next for the NCHC

If there is an NCAA Tournament, the league should send at least three teams – No. 1 North Dakota, No. 4 Minnesota Duluth and No. 6 Denver. One has to wonder if No. 16 Western Michigan would make it. The Broncos have played as well as any team in the league over the past six weeks.

As for the NCHC’s season-ending awards, the announcement of finalists will be made early next week, possibly Monday. Winners likely will be announced the following week.

Impact on DU

What does this mean for the Pioneers?

Great question. There are a few scenarios I see playing out, and these are just educated guesses at this point.

1. The NCAA Tournament is held. DU continues to practice for the next few weeks and then goes and plays in front of … almost no one.
2. The NCAA pulls the plug and it’s season over. The guess here is that would happen sooner than later. I also think this is more likely than not the way things are moving right now.

If No. 2 occurs, the question then becomes, will any players leave the program to sign amateur tryout contracts with pro teams or NHL entry level contracts? Keep in mind DU’s second quarter is just about done, so this is a real possibility from a school standpoint.

I would imagine a few seniors could sign ATO’s, and there has been widespread speculation that junior captain Ian Mitchell is primed to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks, who drafted him in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Of course if the NHL doesn’t resume its season (it’s “paused”), then that adds another layer of intrigue.

©First Line Editorial 2020