LIVE BLOG: NHL not planning to pause season despite multiple teams shutting down due to COVID-19
UPDATE: 5:20 p.m. est — The Vancouver Canucks have added forward Tyler Motte to the COVID-19 protocols list.
Tyler Motte has entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. Tucker Poolman, Luke Schenn, Brad Hunt, Juho Lammikko, and Assistant Coach Jason King all remain in COVID-19 protocol.
— Canucks PR (@CanucksPR) December 17, 2021UPDATE: 4:30 p.m. est — Add Arizona Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk to the COVID-19 protocols list.
UPDATE: Coyotes forward Alex Galchenyuk has been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
— Arizona Coyotes PR (@AZCoyotesPR) December 17, 2021UPDATE: 4:05 p.m. est — Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom has entered COVID-19 protocols.
#Caps center Nicklas Backstrom is unavailable due to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 17, 2021UPDATE 2:00 p.m. est — According to Frank Seravalli, the Panthers, Avalanche, and Flames are shutting down until after Christmas (Dec. 27).
Actually, NHL sources now saying that #Avs, #FlaPanthers and #Flames (officially) have been shut down until Dec. 27.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 17, 2021The Flames have been completely drilled by positive COVID cases, as nearly their entire roster is currently in protocol. Calgary has had four games postponed this week already and their games against Anaheim and Seattle next week will also be postponed, making it six games in total.
The Avs placed four players in protocol on Thursday and lost 5-2 to the Nashville Predators. They have four games between now and Christmas that will need to be rescheduled.
The Panthers have seven players in protocol and lost 4-1 to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. They have three more games between now and Christmas that will need to be rescheduled.
Seravalli also reports that the league isn’t planning to do a full-on pause and will instead shut down operations on a team-by-team basis.
At this exact moment in time (2pm ET on Fri), NHL does not currently plan to shut down operations league-wide until after Christmas holiday. Only certain teams.
But this is all developing rapidly. Anything and everything is possible.
UPDATE 1:00 p.m. est — The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed a pair of players into protocol, as John Tavares and Alex Kerfoot have tested positive for COVID-19. The Leafs are scheduled to play the Canucks in Vancouver on Saturday.
Forwards Alexander Kerfoot and John Tavares have been placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
For precautionary reasons, today’s practice in Vancouver has been cancelled.https://t.co/rP27ClVJVN
Also, contrary to earlier reports, Saturday’s game between the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers has been postponed.
Hearing #mnwild #flapanthers tomorrow is postponed
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 17, 2021Hearing #FlaPanthers have been shut down until after Christmas.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 17, 2021UPDATE 11:30 a.m. est — The Edmonton Oilers have placed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in protocol, where he joins head coach Dave Tippett and forwards Ryan McLeod and Devin Shore. The Oilers ended their six-game losing streak Thursday night with a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
#Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been placed in COVID protocol.
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2021UPDATE 10:30 a.m. est — The Flames are now at 19 players, 3 coaches, 10 support staff who have tested positive as Mikael Backlund has entered COVID-19 Protocol.
#Flames Roster Update: Mikael Backlund and 1 member of the support staff have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol.
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 17, 2021The Bruins have multiple players in COVID protocol, including Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron. Their game on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens has been postponed and it appears as though their game against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday will be as well.
BOS@MTL on Sat night – PPD.
Doubtful BOS will play Sunday at OTT, but it remains on board as of now.
No BOS prax today. The league, in some cases (CGY, OTT) this season has shut down teams entirely.
The Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild appear to be playing tomorrow despite the Panthers’ COVID outbreak which has seen Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Radko Gudas and others placed in protocol.
As of now, #mnwild and #flapanthers tomorrow shockingly is a go, but I believe Florida, which had 7 players on COVID-19 protocol yesterday, may had one or two more pop up this morning.
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 17, 2021The cases keep coming.
After Tuesday and Wednesday saw dozens added to the NHL’s COVID-19 list, another 16 players were placed in protocols Thursday.
One of the most significant stories surrounded the Colorado Avalanche, who placed Andre Burakovsky and J.T. Compher in protocols roughly two and a half hours before puck drop against the Nashville Predators. Half an hour before puck drop, goaltender Darcy Kuemper entered protocols. Then, minutes before the game began, Cale Makar was announced to have entered protocols.
Nonetheless, the game went on.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Avalanche players were given a chance to vote on if the game should happen or not, while the Panthers, according to forward Anthony Duclair, weren’t given the same choice.
The Montreal Canadiens had an interesting situation Thursday, too, when Quebec Public Health requested the team host no fans in the stands of the Bell Centre for their game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Across the NHL, a total of 91 players, coaches and team staff members are in COVID-19 protocols.
Other leagues are no stranger to COVID-19 struggles right now, either. With the holidays around the corner, the NFL, NBA and their respective player associations have agreed to re-work protocols to increase testing and masking requirements, amongst others. In the NFL, 125 players are currently in protocols while the NBA has 40 players.
With all but one NHL’er vaccinated, the vaccines have clearly been doing their part in keeping players asymptomatic. But with the way the virus has continued to spread through organizations, one has to ask: at what point does the NHL step in and pause games?