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Vancouver Canucks Dealing With More Positive Test Results

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The Vancouver Canucks are expected to have several names added to the COVID Protocol when the list comes out later today, as Darren Dreger of TSN reports that there have been “a number of additional positive COVID-19 cases.” Dreger reports it is eight total players and one staff member that have tested positive. On Sportsnet radio today, Rick Dhaliwal said the same thing, calling it an “interesting number” of names that will be added to the list.

Yesterday, Travis Hamonic joined Adam Gaudette on the list and the league shut the Canucks down through April 6. In the postponement release, the NHL expressed hope that the team would be back in action by April 8, but if a number of players have tested positive that may be optimistic. As usual, the details on testing will not be made available, only that players are in or out of the protocol today.

The concern obviously lies with the health of the players and staff, but the league must now also try to find a way to reschedule the missed games. Vancouver already was set to play almost every other day for the rest of the regular season, with just three two-day breaks left. With three games already postponed those breaks will likely disappear, but if any more are pushed games might have to be tacked onto the end of the schedule. Currently, the team is set to finish its campaign on May 8—which seems unlikely to remain.

NHL Postpones Canucks Games Through April 6

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The NHL has postponed three more games for the Vancouver Canucks, shutting them down through April 6 after Travis Hamonic was added to the COVID protocol today. Hamonic joined Adam Gaudette, who has tested positive for coronavirus and a member of the team’s coaching staff.

The league is hoping that the Canucks will be able to play on April 8 against the Calgary Flames, but games against the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets in the coming days will have to be pushed. All practices have also been canceled for the time being.

Vancouver and the rest of the North Division had been doing well until recently when several games have been postponed. The league had just issued a schedule update over the weekend and will now have to go back to the drawing board in order to fit in all 56 games by the end of the year.

NHL Postpones Calgary-Vancouver Game

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The NHL has decided to ere on the side of caution as a result of Adam Gaudette’s positive COVID-19 test.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that tonight’s game between the Canucks and Flames has been postponed.  The league has subsequently released the following statement:

The National Hockey League announced today that, as a result of two Vancouver Canucks Players (including one Player who was added to the COVID Protocol List after it was released at 5:00 p.m. ET today) as well as a member of their coaching staff entering the NHL’s COVID Protocols, the team’s game tonight against the Calgary Flames will be postponed. The decision was made by the League’s, NHLPA’s and Club’s medical groups. The League will provide a further update tomorrow.

This is a light week on the schedule for Vancouver as they’re just coming off of a week-long break and aren’t scheduled to play again until they begin a seven-game road trip in Edmonton on Saturday.  Clearly, that may not begin as scheduled now.  As for Calgary, they’re also set to play Edmonton next with their next game scheduled for Friday.  With the Canucks being the team with someone on the CPRA list, the Flames could still continue on with their schedule.

The North Division recently had recently undergone a substantial schedule reshuffling as a result of Montreal’s COVID-19 situation with the Canadiens only getting cleared to resume their schedule last night.  With those changes, the regular season was extended to May 11th so the league may need to use that extension to get this game in now although if Vancouver is forced to postpone other games, it could result in another sizable scheduling shakeup over the coming days as well.

Snapshots: Bowman, Kiersted, OHL

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As expected, accomplished Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman will be the next leader of Team USA. Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli reports that USA Hockey has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday where they will officially name Bowman as the GM for the U.S. entry into the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Given the NHL’s absence at the most recent Olympics paired with the quality of American players who have blossomed into superstars over the past eight years, expectations are high for Team USA. A two-time Stanley Cup winning GM, whose current rebuild seems to be moving along nicely as well, Bowman has found great success in his career and appears ready for the challenge. With a familiar face in Chicago icon Patrick Kane leading the way, Bowman’s Team USA could be legitimate contenders for gold. He won’t be alone in the decision-making, either; Seravalli notes that Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin will be named an assistant of Bowman’s as well. Nashville’s David Poile and Carolina’s Don Waddell are also likely to be considered for the brain trust, among others.

  • North Dakota defenseman Matt Kiersted, considered by many to be the top college free agent available this year, is already having to chip away at his list of suitors. The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that 20+ NHL clubs have already shown interest in the dependable puck-mover, and he has begun to whittle that down to a “workable” number. What criteria Kiersted is using to choose between what are virtually identical entry-level offers is unknown and there has been few whispers of which teams might remain in the running. However, Russo notes that the Elk River, Minnesota native will definitely keep his hometown Minnesota Wild in consideration. Russo adds that the impending Expansion Draft could strip the Wild of one of their starting defensemen and there could be NHL opportunity right away for the local product. Among other likely landing spots, it is hard to ignore the immense North Dakota presence in the Ottawa Senators’ pipeline, which could link the team to Kiersted and fellow premiere UFA Jordan Kawaguchi.
  • The OHL’s shortened season is expected to begin soon and teams would prefer that their players return as soon as possible. However, the league has yet to set a firm date, seemingly dragging its feet with actually opening up play as opposed to merely discussing it. This is posing quite a conundrum for some top prospects, writes Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Many top junior-age draft picks in recent years have been playing in the AHL this season with the OHL out of commission. This includes Washington’s Connor McMichael, Los Angeles’s Quinton Byfield, Montreal’s Jan Mysak and Carolina’s Ryan Suzuki, while Anaheim’s Jamie Drysdale would have to stay put with the Ducks. Per the CHL Transfer Agreement, these players must return to the OHL once the season begins if they are not on NHL rosters. However, without a solid start date and facing a quarantine period, it is a difficult ask to suggest that these talented young players leave their AHL clubs and head for the unknown. McMichael has been outspoken on the subject, stating “I honestly want to stay here and just play pro hockey. I think it would be best for my development” and Friedman feels the others likely share in that sentiment. Will there be an exception made to allow this group to stay put to close out the season? Or will they be forced to take yet another break from hockey to quarantine only to return to a junior game that they have outgrown?

NHL Reschedules Multiple Games; Regular Season To Extend To May 11

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The NHL announced the following updates to the schedule. rescheduling 19 games that will push the NHL regular season back to May 11. The NHL playoffs were originally supposed to start on May 11, but considering the type of season that many were expecting, a few days delay isn’t a big deal.

NHL.com’s John Shannon reports that the NHL intends to start the playoffs as soon as possible, potentially on May 12 with teams playing on the 10th and 11th starting a few days later.

  • Game #498, Edmonton at Montreal, originally scheduled for March 22, is now scheduled for March 30 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #714, Washington at Boston, originally scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for April 11 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #686, Calgary at Montreal, originally scheduled for April 16 at 7 p.m. ET, will now start at 6 p.m. ET
  • Game #546, Ottawa at Montreal, originally scheduled for March 28, is now scheduled for April 17 at 4 p.m. ET
  • Game #483, Boston at Buffalo, originally scheduled for March 20, is now scheduled for April 20 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #726, Toronto at Winnipeg, originally scheduled for April 21 at 8 p.m. ET, will now start at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #721, Montreal at Edmonton, originally scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for April 21 10 p.m. ET
  • Game #736, Montreal at Calgary, originally scheduled for April 22, is now scheduled for April 23 at 9 p.m. ET
  • Game #761, Montreal at Calgary, originally scheduled for April 26 at 10 p.m. ET, will now start at 6:30 p.m. ET
  • Game #760, Edmonton at Winnipeg, originally scheduled for April 26 at 8 p.m. ET, will now start at 9 p.m. ET
  • Game #564, Montreal at Ottawa, originally scheduled for March 30, is now scheduled for May 5 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #847, Montreal at Toronto, originally scheduled for May 7, is now scheduled for May 6 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #510, Edmonton at Montreal, originally scheduled for March 24, is now scheduled for May 10 at 5:30 p.m. ET
  • Game #841, Tampa Bay at Florida, originally scheduled for May 6, is now scheduled for May 10 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #529: NY Islanders at Boston, originally scheduled for March 23, is now scheduled for May 10 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #833, Toronto at Ottawa, originally scheduled for May 5, is now scheduled for May 10 at 8 p.m. ET
  • Game #456, St. Louis at Los Angeles, originally scheduled for March 15, is now scheduled for May 10 at 10 p.m. ET
  • Game #526, Edmonton at Montreal, originally scheduled for March 26, is now scheduled for May 11 at 7 p.m. ET
  • Game #653, Boston at Washington, originally scheduled for April 11, is now scheduled for May 11 at 7 p.m. ET

The scheduling changes will affect a number of teams that have lost games due to COVID-19 protocols as well as teams that were originally expected to play those teams.

NHL Postpones Two More Boston Bruins Games

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The NHL has announced that the next two Boston Bruins games, one against the Buffalo Sabres tomorrow and one against the New York Islanders on Tuesday, have been postponed. Four additional Bruins players have entered the league’s COVID Protocols today after Sean Kuraly was listed yesterday. Despite Kuraly’s placement in the protocol and a Sabres staff member also being placed in them, the game between the two teams went on as scheduled last night.

The league expected the Bruins will be able to re-open their facilities for practice on Wednesday, March 24. The team has not released the identities of the four additional players, though they will be included in the list published later this evening.

Buffalo of course was the organization that was “furious” with the NHL earlier this season after a pair of games were allowed to be played against the New Jersey Devils despite a player entering the protocol. The Sabres then had their own outbreak, shutting down the team’s operation for some time. Hopefully, that sort of thing will not be repeated here.

Snapshots: AHL, PWHPA, Simmonds

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The Utica Comets have had their Friday matchup against the Rochester Americans has been postponed due to COVID protocols, with a make-up date not yet announced. The Americans have been dealing with their own COVID outbreak, but this postponement is apparently due to protocols affecting the Comets.  Rochester hasn’t played since March 10 and is now postponed until at least March 24, their next scheduled game against Utica.

It’s not just those two teams facing a developing situation either. The Grand Rapids Griffins and Chicago Wolves have also had their matchup for tomorrow postponed, though in the release there is some optimism it can be rescheduled soon. In this unique, irregular schedule, minor league players are certainly not experiencing the same kind of grind a normal AHL season entails.

  • The PWHPA has formed a partnership with another NHL team, this time linking up with the St. Louis Blues to play a showcase at the Enterprise Center on April 12. The tour had already partnered with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs previously and have announced this showcase in St. Louis will be the last one before players go to international camps for the women’s World Championships in May. The event will also include a game at the Centene Community Ice Center on April 11.
  • Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed that Wayne Simmonds’ return from a broken wrist is “imminent” though wouldn’t commit to playing him tomorrow night against the Calgary Flames. Simmonds’ return should have an impact on the trade deadline as the Maple Leafs have been very open about their desire to add a forward down the stretch. When ready, the team will need to activate Simmonds from long-term injured reserve and add his $1.5MM cap hit back to the roster. That move will further complicate an already tight cap situation in Toronto that will make any deadline moves difficult and may force them to send money out at the same time.

Buffalo, Boston Cancel Morning Skates Due To COVID

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12:30pm: Both the Sabres and Bruins have announced that after further testing and tracing, tonight’s game will go on as scheduled.

9:50am: Both the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins canceled their morning skates today due to separate COVID-19 situations. The Sabres were first, canceling their practice due to a staff member entering the COVID protocols, according to John Vogl of The Athletic. The team immediately began contact tracing. Just a few minutes later, the Bruins announced they would also not hold a morning skate as one of their players has entered the protocol.

The two teams were set to play each other this evening in the first of a two-game series. It is not clear yet if the game will be played but it is currently still scheduled.

Boston has not released any information about who has entered the league’s protocol, but it will be made public when the COVID Protocol Related Absences list comes out later today.

Golden Knights Notes: Lehner, Fleury, Trade Deadline

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The Vegas Golden Knights finally got presumptive starting goaltender Robin Lehner back on Tuesday, activating the newly re-signed net minder from the Injured Reserve. Lehner had missed more than a month, leaving veteran Marc-Andre Fleury to carry a heavy load in this season’s condensed schedule. There was some confusion as to why it took Lehner so long to return from what was initially considered a minor lower-body injury. Unfortunately, some of that speculation brought up Lehner’s previous struggles with substance abuse and mental health issues. Looking to set the record straight, Lehner spoke with the media today and revealed that he not only was rehabbing his lower-body injury, but had also suffered a concussion. Lehner noted that normally he would not have disclosed this information, as teams and players are not typically open about injuries beyond what is required, but he felt that needed to clear his name, even though he was disappointed it had reached that point. Fortunately, Lehner appears to have moved past both injuries and is expected to return to action shortly now that he is back on the active roster.

  • As for Lehner’s partner in net, if former Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford would have had his way, Fleury would not even be in Vegas this season. Speaking with The Athletic’s Josh Yohe, Rutherford explained that he heavily pursued his former starter this past off-season. Despite a difficult 2019-20 season for the veteran, Rutherford was hoping to bring Fleury back to Pittsburgh to pair with young Tristan Jarry in the wake of Matt Murray’s departure. Rutherford began planning even before the off-season began, contacting the Knights during the playoffs to inform them of his interest. Rutherford also stated that he even went so far as to buy out Jack Johnson primarily to open up cap space to add Fleury. At the end of the day, trade talks never went too far, with Rutherford implying that they could not make the cap implications work. However, Vegas owner Bill Foley also previously hinted that he may not have signed of on a Fleury trade anyhow. Foley knows that Fleury is the face of the Golden Knights franchise and could not be happier about it. For his part, Rutherford told Yohe that allowing Fleury to go to Vegas in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft was the hardest thing he ever had to do as GM.
  • In just a few short years, the Golden Knights have shown that they are not afraid to make bold moves, such as signing Lehner to an expensive, long-term deal even with Fleury’s heavy contract already on the books. So, while the club looks to have few holes this season, don’t be surprised to see another eye-popping transaction ahead of the trade deadline. Even in what is shaping up to be a quiet trade market, TSN’s Frank Seravalli labels Vegas as one of just eight team that are considered to be legitimate buyers. He believes that they could target a top rental center to solidify their depth down the middle.

NHL Postpones Blues-Kings

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The NHL has been forced to postpone another game, though once again it isn’t because of any COVID-related issues. The St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings will not play their scheduled game this evening thanks to weather conditions in Denver. The Kings, who just finished a two-game set against the Colorado Avalanche, were unable to fly to Los Angeles yesterday. The game does not have a makeup date yet.

This is not the first game postponed due to inclement weather, as the Dallas Stars also went dark for a week while Texas was dealing with a drastic winter storm. In a year that was already incredibly difficult due to the pandemic, weather-related postponements are just another issue the league has had to deal with all season long.

The list of postponements continues to grow, one way or another:

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