With the COVID situations in Buffalo, New Jersey, and Minnesota still not contained, the NHL has postponed several more games. Two additional Sabres games (February 11, 13 vs WSH), three additional Devils games (February 11, 13 vs PHI; 15 vs BOS), and two additional Wild games (February 11 vs STL; 13 vs LAK) have been postponed. The decision on when each team will resume practicing and playing is still to come in the next few days.
The Sabres added Rasmus Dahlin to the COVID Protocol Related Absences list late last night, giving them nine players (plus their head coach) ruled out. John Vogl of The Athletic also reports that two linesmen that worked games between the Devils and Sabres at the end of last month have also entered the league’s protocol. In all, Vogl notes, 24 of the players who skated in those two games—January 30 and 31—have ended up on the CPRA list.
In Minnesota, GM Bill Guerin told Michael Russo of The Athletic that several other players are expected to hit the CPRA list in the coming days as the virus continues “creeping its way through the team.” One of the Minnesota players told Russo that “he feels like he has been hit by a bus and his symptoms have run the gamut.”
As of yesterday, the Devils had 16 players in the COVID protocol. They have not played since that January 31 game against the Sabres and will now be off through at least next Monday. The team’s nine games played is tied for the fewest in the league.
The full table of postponements continues to grow at an alarming rate:
|
Game # |
Matchup |
Original Date |
New Date |
|
9 |
Dallas at Florida |
Jan. 14 |
Feb. 22 |
|
20 |
Dallas at Florida |
Jan. 15 |
May 3 |
|
33 |
Dallas at Tampa Bay |
Jan. 17 |
May 4 |
|
48 |
Dallas at Tampa Bay |
Jan. 19 |
May 10 |
|
52 |
Carolina at Nashville |
Jan. 19 |
March 2 |
|
62 |
Florida at Carolina |
Jan. 21 |
Feb. 17 |
|
76 |
Florida at Carolina |
Jan. 23 |
March 7 |
|
97 |
Tampa Bay at Carolina |
Jan. 26 |
Feb. 22 |
|
122 |
St. Louis at Vegas |
Jan. 28 |
March 22 |
|
149 |
Vegas at San Jose |
Feb. 1 |
Feb. 13 |
|
150 |
Buffalo at NY Islanders |
Feb. 2 |
Feb. 22 |
|
151 |
New Jersey at Pittsburgh |
Feb. 2 |
March 21 |
|
162 |
Vegas at San Jose |
Feb. 3 |
Feb. 25 |
|
163 |
Buffalo at NY Islanders |
Feb. 4 |
March 4 |
|
166 |
New Jersey at Pittsburgh |
Feb. 4 |
April 20 |
|
173 |
Minnesota at Colorado |
Feb. 4 |
TBA |
|
179 |
Buffalo at Boston |
Feb. 6 |
March 27 |
|
180 |
NY Rangers at New Jersey |
Feb. 6 |
March 4 |
|
182 |
Colorado at St. Louis |
Feb. 6 |
TBA |
|
186 |
Arizona at Minnesota |
Feb. 6 |
TBA |
|
191 |
Colorado at St. Louis |
Feb. 7 |
TBA |
|
192 |
Arizona at Minnesota |
Feb. 7 |
TBA |
|
195 |
Buffalo at Boston |
Feb. 8 |
April 13 |
|
207 |
St. Louis at Minnesota |
Feb. 9 |
TBA |
|
209 |
Arizona at Colorado |
Feb. 9 |
TBA |
|
214 |
Washington at Buffalo |
Feb. 11 |
TBA |
|
216 |
New Jersey at Philadelphia |
Feb. 11 |
TBA |
|
223 |
St. Louis at Minnesota |
Feb. 11 |
TBA |
|
225 |
Arizona at Colorado |
Feb. 11 |
TBA |
|
229 |
Washington at Buffalo |
Feb. 13 |
TBA |
|
231 |
New Jersey at Philadelphia |
Feb. 13 |
TBA |
|
240 |
Minnesota at Los Angeles |
Feb. 13 |
TBA |
|
244 |
New Jersey at Boston |
Feb. 15 |
TBA |
It’s starting to turn into a sh it show
What’s to stop a team from faking COVID to get star players back for games they may have missed other wise
Positive tests done independently?
Add Halifax, Quebec city and a second Toronto team. 2021-22 season, drop the East, Central and West divisions and go with two 5 team Canadian divisions. They’ll get an 82 game season in easy.
With that many Canadian teams, it wouldn’t really be the “National” Hockey League anymore. Maybe call it the North American Hockey League and give Mexico a couple of teams?
An all Canadian NHL is the point. To hell with Mexico and the East, Central and West divisions who can’t keep it contained.
Ok pal. I expect you’ll have nothing to say when the postponements start happening in the ‘north’, right?
Say good bye to money Canada can’t support that that’s why the nhl lost Winnipeg Quebec City and a second Toronto team and Montreal team. But good luck.