NHL COVID-19 cases: Live updates, schedule changes as NHL players withdraw from Olympics, season put on pause
Summary
The NHL and NHLPA made it official Wednesday, announcing they will not send players to the 2022 Olympic Games due to COVID-19 concerns.
This comes after the NHL and NHLPA announced they've agreed to pause the season from Dec. 22-25, with team facilities reopening no earlier than 2 p.m. local time on Dec. 26. The regular season is set to resume on Dec. 27.
A handful of NHL teams, the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators have been shut down by the league through their holiday break, which concludes Dec. 26.
The Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames, who at one point had 18 players in COVID-19 protocol, have had their games postponed through Dec. 23.
The league also postponed cross-border games through to the start of the league's holiday break which begins after Thursday night's games.
As the NHL pondered over whether or not to send its players to the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing, Hockey Canada announced it would not participate in this month's Spengler Cup. The tournament features some of Europe's best teams and a squad composed of non-NHL Canadian players. If the NHL were to pull its participation from the Olympics, Canada would likely send their Spengler Cup roster as its replacement.
Sidney Crosby told LeBrun that the likelihood of NHLers not participating at the Olympics would be 'disappointing'.
"Obviously, I know from experience how special and unique the Olympics are. And not only thinking about my experience, but thinking of the guys that haven’t had the opportunity to be part of it," Crosby said.
“And knowing what they could potentially miss. Yeah, I think just ‘disappointing’ would be the best way to describe it.”
Follow along here as The Athletic keeps you updated on the league's ongoing COVID-19 situation.
The latest news and what to know:
» NHL, NHLPA agree players won't participate in Beijing Olympics: Sources
» Flames up to 18 players in COVID-19 protocol after adding Oliver Kylington, Dillon Dube
» NHL players discuss the Olympics — Are they still on board, or is it a risk too big to take?
» Oilers' Connor McDavid finds reported Beijing Olympics quarantine protocols 'unsettling'
» Don Waddell Q&A: How the Hurricanes’ COVID-19 situation played out and what comes next
» LeBrun: NHL not considering pausing season yet but Olympic participation increasingly in jeopardy
» If NHL players skip the Olympics, what happens to the schedule in February?
» Canadiens won't have fans at Bell Centre for Thursday night's game against Flyers
» Avalanche's Cale Makar, Darcy Kuemper, Andre Burakovsky, J.T. Compher in COVID-19 protocol
» NHL, NHLPA agree to temporarily cease cross-border travel; Olympic participation talks ongoing
» NHL suspending league operations from Dec. 22-25 due to COVID-19
(Photo by Christopher Morris / Corbis via Getty Images)
World juniors pre-tournament game between Czechia and Switzerland cancelled
Hockey Canada announced that Thursday's pre-tournament game between Czechia and Switzerland in Red Deer has been cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Advertisement
Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly has been added to COVID protocol
Rielly, along with a staff member, have been added to COVID protocol according to the team.
It's official: NHL players will not participate in Beijing Olympics
The NHL and the NHL Players' Association have officially announced that players will not participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
In a release, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says "the profound disruption to the NHL’s regular-season schedule caused by recent COVID-related events" makes Olympic participation "no longer feasible."
For the latest, click here.
Lightning's Jon Cooper enters protocols
Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper has entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.
Senators add 6 team members to COVID protocol
The Ottawa Senators have placed goaltender Filip Gustavsson, head coach D.J. Smith, video coach Mike King and three members of the team's support staff in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.
NHL update on availability during Olympic break
After sources said the NHL and NHLPA agreed NHL players won't play in the Olympics, NHL teams have reached out about availability for games during the Olympic break.
Advertisement
Calgary Flames lead the league with 20 in COVID protocol
There are currently 132 NHL players in COVID protocol.
No NHLers at the Olympics, according to sources
From The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun: "Sources confirm the NHL and NHLPA have decided to pull out of the Olympics".
Read more here: NHL, NHLPA agree players won't participate in Beijing Olympics: Sources
How NHL corporate business has boomed and lifted the league during the pandemic
Corporate sales in 2021 have changed the dichotomy of how much NHL teams have had to rely on the gate. The Athletic's Sean Shapiro wrote about that in his latest.
GO FURTHER
NHL postpones tonight's Capitals-Flyers game
This means only one NHL game is on tonight: The Tampa Bay Lightning against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Advertisement
Sidney Crosby on 'disappointing' Olympic decision that's likely coming
The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar was eagerly looking forward to wearing the Team Canada sweater again to take care of the unfinished business of defending gold from the last best-on-best Olympics in 2014.
As we await official word from the NHL and NHL Players’ Association, which could come as early as Tuesday in some form of Olympic announcement, Crosby spoke to The Athletic about the growing sense the NHL would pull out of the February Games in China.
(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
GO FURTHER
NHL suspending league operations from Dec. 22-25 due to COVID-19: Reports
The NHL will suspend operations from Dec. 22-25, with team facilities reopening no earlier than 2 p.m. local time on Dec. 26, according to multiple reports Monday night. There will be no testing and no practices during that time.
Tuesday's remaining games, the Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers and the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Vegas Golden Knights, will continue as planned, pending any positive test results.
Kraken's Adam Larsson enters COVID protocol
Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson has entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.
NHL postpones Coyotes-Kraken on Tuesday
The NHL has postponed Tuesday's game between the Arizona Coyotes and Seattle Kraken due to COVID-19 issues affecting the Kraken.
Advertisement
Canadiens add Mike Hoffman to COVID protocol
The Montreal Canadiens added forward Mike Hoffman to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol, the team announced Monday.
Blackhawks add Calvin de Haan to COVID-19 protocol
The Chicago Blackhawks' Calvin de Haan has been placed in COVID-19 protocol. He is Chicago's only player currently in protocol.
USA Hockey cancels USWNT vs. Canada due to COVID concern
USA Hockey announced the cancellation of Monday's matchup between the U.S. Women's National Team and the Canadian Women's National Team in Saint Paul, Minn. due to concerns around COVID-19.
This was the final game before Canada names it’s women’s Olympic roster this week.