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Red Wings Place Three Players And Two Coaches In COVID Protocol

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With the recent increase in COVID cases around the league, the last few days have had plenty of news about players and staff members entering COVID protocol and it appears today will continue that trend.  The Red Wings announced (Twitter link) that goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, winger Carter Rowney and Givani Smith, head coach Jeff Blashill, and assistant coach Alex Tanguay have all been placed in protocol and will be unavailable for tonight’s game against New Jersey.

Detroit has been hit relatively hard by COVID-related absences this season as Tyler Bertuzzi, Marc Staal, and Danny DeKeyser have all missed time recently while Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen are currently in protocol as well.  The Red Wings have recalled winger Riley Barber and goaltender Calvin Pickard from Grand Rapids of the AHL in corresponding moves to be able to dress a full lineup against the Devils.

As for their coaching situation, the team announced in a follow-up tweet that assistant coach Doug Houda will be joined by a pair of coaches from AHL Grand Rapids – head coach Ben Simon and assistant coach Todd Krygier.  As is the case with all other COVID protocol placements, each individual will need to miss at least ten days if follow-up testing confirms that they have indeed tested positive.

Maple Leafs Place Wayne Simmonds And Jason Spezza In COVID Protocol

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The Maple Leafs will be without two more veterans for their game in Vancouver tonight as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Wayne Simmonds and center Jason Spezza have been placed in COVID protocol.  They join center John Tavares and forward Alexander Kerfoot who were also placed there on Friday.

Simmonds has had a limited role this season but has been a bit more productive, notching four goals and six assists in 29 games despite averaging over 10 minutes a game.  Meanwhile, Spezza has put up similar numbers, collecting seven goals and four helpers in 26 contests.  He was set to make his return after the final two games of his suspension were overturned yesterday but now that will be on hold.  If subsequent testing also results in positive tests, the veterans will be out for at least 10 days.

Taking their place on the roster are forward Alex Steeves and defenseman Carl Dahlstrom who were both recalled from AHL Toronto.  Steeves got into three games with the Maple Leafs earlier this month after a strong start with the Marlies that has him averaging a point per game while Dahlstrom had been up with them briefly earlier this week before being sent back down on Tuesday.  With Mitch Marner currently on LTIR, Toronto has the short-term cap space to carry a full roster, a luxury that won’t be available to them when everyone is healthy.

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.

Hurricanes-Wild Game Postponed

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The Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild aren’t going to play tonight after all. According to several reports including Michael Russo of The Athletic, four more players from the Hurricanes have tested positive today for coronavirus and will be put into the COVID protocol. The team put Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho in the protocol yesterday. The league has officially announced the single postponement, noting that it will provide a further update tomorrow. The four players entering the protocol today are Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov, Ian Cole, and Steven Lorentz.

If it weren’t postponed, the Hurricanes would be extremely shorthanded for this evening’s action. The team does not have the cap space for more than one recall, which they used on Andrew Poturalski earlier today. There is also a growing sentiment that on-ice transmission has occurred over the weekend, as several teams that played each other–Carolina, the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Boston Bruins in particular–have now had players enter the protocol recently.

The Flames, Ottawa Senators, and New York Islanders are the three teams that have seen their season postponed to this point, but if the Hurricanes become the fourth, even more doubt will be placed upon NHL participation in the upcoming Olympics. The league has maintained that if postponements cause a “material disruption” to the schedule they will take the decision out of the players’ hands and withdraw from international competition.

This is also not the first time the Hurricanes have been affected by COVID absences. Brett Pesce, Tony DeAngelo, and Ethan Bear were all in the protocol at once, with the former two only expected to make their return tonight, before the game was postponed.

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.

Gary Bettman: Olympic Participation “Ultimately A Players’ Decision”

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The NHL has more than a few concerns about participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Speaking with the media, including CBC’s Joshua Clipperton, following the conclusion of Friday’s Board of Governors meeting, Commissioner Gary Bettman didn’t shy away from expressing his hesitations either:

We have real concerns on a whole host of issues… We have concerns, and we’ve expressed those to the players’ association… Our concerns have only been magnified… I actually find it difficult to believe that a player would want to go…. I don’t think that this is going to be the ideal Olympic experience in terms of the lockdowns in the Olympic Village and everything else that’s going on.

The league’s apprehension is based mostly on the continued issues with the spread of the Coronavirus, not only across the league but on a global basis, China included. The NHL has seen the majority of its teams impacted by COVID-19 already this season, including at the cost of some games. Olympic participation would mean sending its biggest stars off, out of the protection of the league’s protocols and to the origin point of the virus and to protocols that have yet to be finalized and announced. In that same vein, Bettman discussed the possibility that China could mandate a three-week quarantine for any athletes who test positive for COVID and stated that he would be surprised if any NHLer would risk an additional three weeks in the country in order to play at the Olympics. Beyond the COVID conversation, there are also a number of political red flags as the governments of both Canada and the United States have become more vocal of late about the human rights violations taking place in China.

Yet, with all that said, Bettman is standing by his word. Barring a joint decision between the NHL and NHLPA – with Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly stating his expectation that the two sides would be on the same page should it reach this point – to disallow participation, the final decision will lie with the players themselves:

We made a promise to the players, and I’m going, to the best of our ability, adhere to it, understanding that there may be consequences that nobody’s gonna like… It’s not like we haven’t expressed our concerns. But in the final analysis, subject to some caveats, with all of the issues that are being raised… the players, for the most part, seem to continue to be saying they want to go… ultimately, this is going to have to be a players’ decision.

A return to the Olympics was in fact collectively bargained when the NHL and NHLPA agreed to a new CBA last year. The players have right to compete for gold if they so choose, though it is obvious that the league would rather they not. Bettman does note that more players have expressed their concerns of late, but will it be enough? That remains to be seen with time ticking away before the opt-out deadline of January 10 and the opening of the tournament in two months.

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