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COVID Protocol Related Absence

Central Notes: Borowiecki, Lankinen, Spurgeon, Jets

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Nashville’s list of players in COVID protocol continues to grow as the team announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Mark Borowiecki along with another member of their travelling party have been placed in COVID protocol.  The blueliner becomes the eighth active Predators player on the list of those unavailable to play while five other staff members – including their coaching staff – aren’t with the team at the moment either.  Despite that, they are not among the teams that have had games postponed yet with the Preds taking on Chicago tonight.

More from the Central Division:

  • Although the Blackhawks have just one goaltender under contract for next season (prospect Arvid Soderblom), the team has not yet engaged in extension discussions with either Kevin Lankinen or Marc-Andre Fleury, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription link). While Fleury is understandable – there’s no word on whether or not he’d be open to the idea and that needs to be determined before starting talks – the fact that they haven’t discussed anything with Lankinen’s camp is a bit surprising.  His numbers are down a bit from last season but with his limited NHL experience (just 47 career games), he’s someone that should be cheaper than several veteran backups to keep around.  With several key players needing new deals for next season, securing at least one goalie should be fairly high on interim GM Kyle Davidson’s list over the coming weeks.
  • Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon re-aggravated his lower-body injury and had already been ruled out of Saturday’s game against Florida before it was postponed earlier today, relays Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Speaking after the game, head coach Dean Evason had a rather grim comment about his captain’s health, simply saying “It’s not good” which suggests Spurgeon could be out a little longer than just a game or two.
  • The Jets are the latest team to have to cut their capacity, announcing (Twitter link) that their capacity will be cut to 50% for four of their upcoming games beginning on Tuesday. Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal have all had their capacity cut in recent days in accordance with provincial health guidelines.

Oilers Place Duncan Keith In COVID Protocol

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It turns out that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins isn’t the only notable Oilers player to enter COVID protocol today as the team announced that defenseman Duncan Keith has also been placed there.  That triggered a series of moves with Kris Russell being transferred to LTIR retroactive to December 9th, Markus Niemelainen was moved to injured reserve, and Cooper Marody and Seth Griffith were recalled from Bakersfield of the AHL.

Keith is in his first season with Edmonton and it has been a relatively quiet one.  He had just come back from an upper-body injury that caused him to miss seven games and he has been fairly quiet offensively with just five points in 20 games although he is still logging a little over 20 minutes a night in a top-four role.

Between his placement in protocol and Niemelainen (who has averaged 14 minutes a game in his first seven NHL contests) moving to IR, they’re down to just five defensemen on the active roster which makes it a bit puzzling that two forwards were brought up.  However, both Griffith and Marody have been productive with the Condors this season as they sit first and second respectively in team scoring.  Edmonton has had secondary scoring issues pretty much all season long and it appears those two will get a chance to try to contribute.

To make that happen from a cap perspective, Russell had to be shifted to LTIR, giving Edmonton the cap space to afford to bring two players up from the minors instead of just one.  He had been listed as questionable to play in Tuesday’s game but now will miss 10 games and 24 days, pushing his return into January at the earliest.  Given that designation from earlier this week though, he could be ready to return as soon as that time is up.

Vancouver Canucks Place Schenn, Lammikko In COVID Protocol

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Dec 17: Tyler Motte has joined Schenn, Lammikko, Tucker Poolman, and Brad Hunt in the COVID protocol today. The Canucks are scheduled to play the Maple Leafs tomorrow, who are dealing with their own protocol situation.

Dec 14: The Vancouver Canucks are facing a COVID outbreak of their own. After canceling morning skate as a precaution, Luke Schenn and Juho Lammikko have been placed in the COVID protocol. Both have tested positive for coronavirus–Schenn yesterday and Lammikko today–while the rest of the traveling party has been tested and will receive the results prior to tonight’s game.

The Canucks have moved Travis Hamonic to long-term injured reserve and recalled Phillip Di Giuseppe from the minor leagues. The team is still currently scheduled to play the Columbus Blue Jackets this evening, before departing for San Jose to face the Sharks on Thursday.

Notably, the Canucks played the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday, a team that had two players enter the protocol yesterday (and more positive cases coming, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic) after meeting with the Calgary Flames–a team that has been shut down entirely–last Thursday. The entire league appears to be dealing with an increased positivity rate as Schenn and Lammikko are by no means the first two added to the protocol today.

COVID Notes: Protocols, Kuznetsov, Backstrom, Ontario

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The league NHL has implemented enhanced protocols through January 7 to battle the recent spread of COVID-19 among its member teams, according to multiple reports including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Among the new measures (which are similar to those used all of last season) are restrictions on indoor dining while on the road, masking and distancing in club facilities, and daily testing.

Darren Dreger of TSN notes that the protocols will be reviewed in early January and could be extended. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that the NHLPA will hold an executive board call with the 32 player representatives to answer any questions regarding the enhanced protocols.

Ryan Johansen Enters COVID Protocol

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The last thing that the Nashville Predators need right now is to be without Ryan Johansen. Despite an off-season shake-up that many thought would hurt the Predators’ playoff chances this season, the team currently sits fourth in the competitive Central Division and would be the first wild card team in the Western Conference if the postseason started today. Nashville is one a four-game winning streak and 10-5-0 over the past month. A big contributor to their success thus far has been Johansen, who has finally re-discovered his scoring touch after a pair of very disappointing seasons. The $8MM center has already surpassed his 2020-21 point total with 24 points in 27 games, putting him on pace for a career-best 73 points.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 does not discriminate by skill level or hot streak. The virus continues to wreak havoc on NHL rosters and Johansen is the latest victim. The Predators have announced the Johansen has been added to the league’s COVID Protocol and will not play tonight against the New York Rangers. As usual, no cause was given for Johansen’s placement and the hope is that he may be able to exit the protocol after just one game, especially with a tough slate of games approaching against the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, and Carolina Hurricanes over the next week. The absence of Johansen’s fellow resurgent scorer Matt Duchene with an upper-body injury makes Johansen’s unexpected unavailability even more concerning.

In Johansen’s place, the Predators have recalled Michael McCarron from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. Though a first-round pick in 2013, McCarron is not a player capable of filling a scoring role in Johansen’s place. The 26-year-old has been held scoreless in six games so far this season, which is his same stat line from last season. McCarron has eight points, a -14 rating, and 10 minutes of average ice time in 81 career NHL games.

Yanni Gourde And Riley Sheahan Placed In COVID Protocol

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The Kraken will be without the services of one of their top centers for the next little bit as the team announced (Twitter link) that Yanni Gourde has been placed in COVID protocol.  His spot on the roster is being taken by Alexander True who was recalled from AHL Charlotte.

Gourde has had a nice start to his first season with Seattle.  After recovering quicker than expected from offseason shoulder surgery, he quickly jumped into a permanent spot in the top six.  The 29-year-old has six goals and 16 assists in 22 games so far this season, good for third on the team in scoring behind Jaden Schwartz and Jordan Eberle while averaging 18:51 per game, a career-high.

Gourde had become the second Kraken center to enter COVID protocol, joining Colin Blackwell who entered it earlier this week.  If subsequent testing reveals a confirmed positive, he’ll have to miss at least the next ten days.  However, head coach Dave Hakstol told reporters including Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link) that center Riley Sheahan has also entered the protocol alongside assistant coach Jay Leach.  Sheahan has four points in 19 games this season and also cleared waivers last month.

As for True, he was claimed from San Jose in expansion but has yet to see any action with Seattle this season.  He has 18 points in 22 games with AHL Charlotte, a split affiliate with Florida and leads the Checkers in scoring.

Colin Blackwell Enters COVID Protocol

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The Seattle Kraken welcomed captain Mark Giordano back to practice after a stint in the COVID protocol, but it wasn’t a full group for the team today. Colin Blackwell is the latest Kraken to enter the protocol, head coach Dave Hakstol told reporters including Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. The team has not confirmed whether or not Blackwell has tested positive for coronavirus.

Blackwell, 28, has unfortunately played in just eight games for the Kraken this season after starting the year on injured reserve. He was activated a few weeks ago and has three points so far on the year, including an important goal in the Kraken’s win against the Edmonton Oilers last week. He was scratched for the team in their most recent game and has been used sparingly when active, a disappointing result after his impressive 2020-21 campaign.

In 47 games for the New York Rangers, Blackwell scored 12 goals and 22 points, becoming one of the biggest surprises in the league. That ended up putting him on Seattle’s radar, and they made him their expansion selection ahead of some other interesting options. There was scuttle that a trade was involved with that selection, but it never came to pass.

Instead, Blackwell has become just another one of the depth forwards for the Kraken and someone that could potentially find himself on the trade block again in a few months. On an expiring deal that carries a cap hit of just $725K–less than the single-year league minimum–perhaps there will be another team that believes he can do more than play ten minutes a night. For now, he’ll have to stay in the COVID protocol until cleared to return.

The Kraken have also assigned Kole Lind to the minor leagues, according to Hakstol.

COVID Notes: Capitals, Heatherington, Cizikas

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The Washington Capitals have canceled practice tomorrow out of an abundance of caution, after having a scheduled off day today. No one else has tested positive for coronavirus or entered the league’s protocol, but with the team already missing three players–Garnet Hathaway joined Nic Dowd and Trevor van Riemsdyk in the protocol yesterday–an extra cautious approach seems prudent.

The Capitals are back in action on Friday in the first half of a back-to-back. The hope is that no other positives will emerge between now and then.

  • The Ottawa Senators have announced that Dillon Heatherington has exited the COVID protocol and is available for the team this evening. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia suggests that Heatherington could step into the lineup in place of Victor Mete, who has struggled mightily in recent weeks. The 23-year-old Mete played just 8:18 against the Carolina Hurricanes and 10:35 against the New Jersey Devils, his last two appearances.
  • Despite Casey Cizikas reaching ten days since he entered the COVID protocol, he isn’t ready to return for the New York Islanders. Head coach Barry Trotz told reporters including Andrew Gross of Newsday that Cizikas is “not really in the picture” at the moment, as he continues to work his way back. The 30-year-old forward hasn’t played since November 26 and has just one point on the season.

Garnet Hathaway, Marc Staal Enter COVID Protocol

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The Washington Capitals have lost a third player, as Garnet Hathaway finds himself in the league’s COVID protocol. The 30-year-old forward is expected to be unavailable for tonight’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

Hathaway joins Trevor van Riemsdyk and Nic Dowd in the protocol and on the sidelines as the team prepares for action. In Saturday’s win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, Hathaway played more than 16 minutes, something that is becoming routine lately as the Capitals deal with injuries and illnesses. With seven goals in 25 games, he’s also off to the best start of his career and could quickly eclipse the 11 goal total that stands as his career-high.

The team has not confirmed whether or not Hathaway has tested positive for coronavirus, but if he has and is experiencing any symptoms, he’ll be away from the club for a minimum of ten days. Hopefully, this outbreak stops there and the Capitals don’t lose any other players in the near future.

The Detroit Red Wings have also announced a player absence, indicating that Marc Staal has been added to the COVID protocol. Staal played nearly 19 minutes on Saturday against the New York Islanders and has actually been a relatively solid contributor for the Red Wings this season. His absence–which has not been confirmed as a positive test–would open the door for Danny DeKeyser’s return to the lineup after exiting the protocol in recent days.

Should Staal miss ten days after a positive test, he’d be out for the team’s next five games at least.

Kings Place Blake Lizotte In COVID Protocol

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The Kings have announced (Twitter link) a series of transactions highlighted with the placement of center Blake Lizotte into COVID protocol.  Taking his place on the roster is Jaret Anderson-Dolan while T.J. Tynan has also been recalled to replace Kale Clague who was just claimed off waivers by Montreal.

Lizotte has played in all but one game so far this season for Los Angeles, tallying a goal and four assists while logging 11:36 per game primarily on the fourth line.  The 23-year-old has also won a career-high 53.1% of his faceoffs, good for third on the team in that regard.

Anderson-Dolan was a regular with the Kings for the bulk of last season, getting into 34 games where he picked up 11 points before suiting up for Canada at the World Championships.  However, with more depth down the middle this season, he has spent all of 2021-22 so far with AHL Ontario playing heavier minutes and he has responded with 13 points in 16 contests with the Reign.  He should have an opportunity to move into Lizotte’s spot on the depth chart and play the type of role he had last season.

As for Tynan, the 29-year-old is in his first season with the Kings and cleared waivers back in training camp.  He has been quite productive with Ontario, collecting 17 points in 12 games which puts him second in team scoring.  Despite his consistent offensive numbers over the years, he has played in just 19 career NHL contests, the most recent coming back in the 2019-20 season with Colorado.

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