St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong doesn't think the NHL's hiatus will impact his club's ability to defend its Stanley Cup title should the 2019-20 season resume.

"With the knowledge of what we did last year, and that we have a mature team, we're not worried about whether they're preparing or what they're doing off the ice, eating correctly and doing whatever workouts they need to be doing; I know they are because they've shown that year in and year out," Armstrong told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

"We feel excited that if we get the opportunity again that we'll be in a very good spot to put our very best foot forward."

The Blues continued their elite play this season and occupy the top seed in the Western Conference with the campaign on pause. The core group that brought the franchise its first Stanley Cup remains intact and star winger Vladimir Tarasenko, who missed most of this season following shoulder surgery in October, should also be back in the fold.

"You need to plan that you're going to play again," Armstrong said. "And we are planning that we're going to play again. We're very fortunate that we have a mature group, and the majority of our team is coming back that was here last year at this time. They did a really good job of putting themselves in a good spot throughout the regular season."

St. Louis pulled off one of the most incredible runs in NHL history in 2018-19. After sitting last in the league on Jan. 1, the Blues went on a 30-10-5 run that propelled them into the postseason and eventually to the Stanley Cup.

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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry and his wife, Julie, opened up $2,500 tabs at two local restaurants to provide free meals to hospital workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Anything we can do to show our appreciation," the family said, according to the team's website. "To show that we're thinking of them, standing behind them, supporting them and that they're in our thoughts and prayers."

Dozens of professional athletes have stepped up to help those in need while their respective leagues are on hiatus. Canadiens teammate Carey Price and his wife, Angela, recently donated $50,000 to the Breakfast Club of Canada's emergency fund to help children at risk of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Petry has 40 points in 71 games in his sixth season with Montreal.

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With a global pandemic suspending sporting events worldwide, athletes suddenly have tons of time on their hands. In the latest installment of our weekly NHL series, we look at how they've been keeping themselves entertained - and in shape - while self-isolating.

Getzlaf's all cooped up

The Anaheim Ducks veteran was a part of a conference call with some of his Pacific Division rivals on Friday. With the animosity set aside, the four spent some quality time sharing what they've been doing and joking around with one another. Getzlaf proudly showed off his brand new chicken coop he's been busy building over the last two weeks. Very impressive stuff.

Ovechkin's a huge fan of ... Howie Mandel?

Just like Getzlaf, Ovechkin was also on a conference call with other players this past week. As they all dished on what they've been doing to keep busy and what shows they're binging to pass the time, Ovechkin shared he's been watching ... the defunct game show "Deal or No Deal." Interesting choice!

McDavid's trainer is a very good boy

As one of the league's fastest and most dynamic players, McDavid is surely missing the ice more than some. The Edmonton Oilers star shared a fun, new way to work out while he's stuck at home. With his trusty dog Lenny helping him out, McDavid may be able to stay in game shape throughout the hiatus. Lenny doesn't look like he's a huge fan of his owner's new workout routine, so it may not last too long.

Nothing but the bottom of the cup

Kadri is using some of his free time to master his trick shot game. The shot isn't necessarily the most difficult compared to some others that have surfaced on the internet recently, but it's definitely a start. Let's see what else you got, Nazem!

Marner's got game

Marner teamed up with the popular YouTube and Twitch streamer Nasher to play some NHL 20. Marner helped set up an exciting game-winning goal in the dying seconds of their game together. What else is new? The Maple Leafs forward has also begun his own stream on Twitch.

Strome takes a break from CoD

The New York Rangers forward took a quick break from playing video games to work on his slap shot. If the season suddenly resumes, expect Strome to light up opposing goaltenders thanks to this scary-looking regimen keeping him game ready.

Hampus Lindholm cooking up a storm

Lindholm revealed his hidden cooking talents to the world. Known for dishing sauce on the ice, he's still putting the blade of his stick to good use in the kitchen.

Jordie Benn isn't quite ready for the X Games

It doesn't seem like Benn has much space inside his house to be riding a BMX bike around, but that's clearly not stopping him from having a good time. Be safe in there, Jordie.

A dog horse is a man's best friend

The Coyotes captain is leading by example and practicing social distancing to the best of his abilities. If only everybody had a best friend like Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

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While almost the entire world is on pause amid the coronavirus pandemic, it's business as usual in Belarus.

The European nation is still moving along with sporting events in front of large crowds. The Belarusian Extraleague, the country's top professional hockey association, is still proceeding, even though Russia's KHL canceled its playoffs on Wednesday.

Authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko took part in a hockey game on Sunday in Minsk, the country's capital.

"There are no viruses here," Lukashenko said, as The Guardian translated. "You haven't noticed them flying around, have you? This is a fridge. Sports, particularly on the ice, this fridge here. That's the best actual anti-virus remedy."

Belarus had 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Friday.

Soccer is also still going strong in the nation, as a Belarusian Premier League match drew a capacity crowd of 3,000 people on Saturday.

Lukashenko advised residents to drink vodka and take saunas instead of panicking over the virus, according to ESPN.

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Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan has tested positive for the coronavirus, the New York Knicks announced Saturday.

Dolan, 64, has been in self-isolation and is experiencing little to no symptoms, according to the team. He continues to oversee business operations.

Dolan is believed to be the first NBA owner to test positive for COVID-19. Fifteen individuals connected with the league - including multiple players and unidentified members of teams - have now been confirmed to have been infected as of Saturday.

Two of the first NBAers to test positive, Utah Jazz teammates Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, were cleared of the illness on Friday.

New York City remains the epicenter for the pandemic in the United States, with nearly 30,000 cases as of Saturday. More than 500 have died in the city.

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