The IIHF has provided another update on their COVID-19 testing and for one team, it is not good news. Another German player has tested positive and will remain in quarantine until January 4. Only ten players and eight staff members from Germany were released from quarantine today, joining the six players who had previously been released.
This is catastrophic news for any hope the Germans had of competing in the round-robin, given they’ll now be taking on Finland and Canada with a reduced lineup. As Bob McKenzie of TSN tweets, the team is expected to have just two goalies, five defensemen, and nine forwards available for those two games. Even past that they will not have a full complement, certainly reducing their chance of toppling the hockey giants in the group.
There were no further positive tests among any of the other teams. Games start tomorrow with Switzerland and Slovakia kicking things off before the weakened German squad tries to upset Finland. Team USA’s first game is against the Russians, while Canada will not only get to face Germany without their full group but on a back-to-back as well Saturday evening.