GULLS TO FINISH SEASON IN IRVINE
When the Gulls announced three months ago they were moving temporarily to Irvine, they did so with the hope that if restrictions on fans at indoor events eased, they could return late in the season or at least for the postseason.
“That’s the best-case scenario,” Matt Savant, Gulls president of business operations, said then.
Those restrictions are indeed about to ease, but the Gulls won’t be back until the 2021-22 AHL season begins later this year.
“While we eagerly anticipate welcoming our great fans back to Pechanga Arena, the recent updated state guidelines regarding indoor events will not provide ASM Global the necessary time to prepare the arena for normal business operations for the remainder of the 2020-21 season,” the Gulls said Monday in a statement. “As a result, the Gulls will finish the 2020-21 AHL season at FivePoint Arena in Irvine.”
Pechanga Arena officials also released a statement saying they were “already working with the team on scheduling and preparations to bring the Gulls back home to Pechanga Arena to play in front of their local fan base to start the ’21-22 AHL season this fall.”
The Gulls started the season 7-1, then dropped nine of their next 11 but have won their last seven to improve to 16-10, second in the AHL Pacific Division. They have 18 games remaining in the regular season, which concludes May 15. The league is expected to announce postseason plans later this month.
NHL has concerns
The National Hockey League’s deputy commissioner said the Vancouver Canucks’ COVID-19 outbreak is concerning, but he remains confident the team will be able to complete its schedule.
In an email to The Canadian Press, Bill Daly said the Canucks’ numbers are “concerning from a health and safety standpoint, not necessarily from a scheduling standpoint.”
Daly said the league believes the Canucks will return and conclude their 56game schedule. He also says the league will not change its COVID protocols in the aftermath of the Canucks’ situation.
The Canucks now have 17 players in the NHL COVID-19 protocol with the addition of rookie forward Nils Hoglander on Monday. It marks the fifth straight day the Canucks’ list has grown. The 17 players in the protocol at the same time represents the most by one NHL team since the New Jersey Devils had 18 on Feb. 12.
There are 22 players listed for a third consecutive day, which remains the highest total since 24 players were listed on Feb. 16. The NHL’s one-day high is 59 players who were in the protocol on Feb. 12.
Boston Bruins goalie Jaroslav Halak also entered the protocol on Monday.
The additions of Hoglander and Halak increase the total to 190 NHL players who have spent at least one day on the COVID-19 list since the season began Jan. 13.