NHL BRINGS BACK TAXI SQUADS FOR RESTART
The NHL is emerging from an extended holiday break with taxi squads and other roster revisions, a move made to guard against more disruptions to the season amid more players and coaches going into COVID-19 protocol Sunday.
Each team will be allowed to have a taxi squad of up to six players and to make emergency recalls from the minors if COVID-19 absences would cause anyone to play without a full lineup. Taxi squads, which were used during the shortened 2021 season, are set to be in effect until at least the AllStar break in early February, rules confirmed by Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.
“Any relief is welcome, believe me,” said Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito, who is eager to see how the flexibility might help. “It’s tough. What if all your goalies get it? What are you going to do? We’ve been through, as a management team, any number of scenarios surrounding the ‘what-ifs’ — or maybe we’re kidding ourselves and we should be thinking about the ‘whens,’ as far as who gets it and when.”
Under the new provisions, any team shy of having 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders available can bring up a player from the American Hockey League without playing a game with fewer than the usual 18 skaters. Emergency recalls also can be made of players with salarycap hits of up to $1 million, an increase from the previous $850,000 limit.
The goal of the changes is to keep the NHL season going after 64 games already have been postponed for coronavirus-related reasons. All 14 games initially scheduled for today previously were postponed to allow for analyzing of COVID-19 tests taken Sunday by players, coaches and staff upon returning to team facilities.
More hockey
No. 1 overall NHL draft pick Owen Power had a hat trick to help Canada open the world junior hockey championship with a 6-3 victory over the Czech Republic in Edmonton, Alberta.
After scoring in the first period, Power struck twice in a 1:25 span on a two-man power play midway through the second period. The 6-foot-6 University
of Michigan defenseman was taken by the Buffalo Sabres with the top pick .
Earlier, Russia beat Sweden 6-3 in Group B in Red Deer, and Finland topped Germany 3-1 in Group A in Edmonton. In a late game, the defending champion United States beat Slovakia 3-2 in Group B.
The Gulls’ home game against the Ontario Reign scheduled for tonight has been postponed. The American Hockey League announced the postponement, citing “league COVID-19 protocols affecting the San Diego Gulls.”
Sports and courts
Oral arguments in the appeal by players on the U.S. women’s national soccer team who are seeking equal pay have been scheduled for March.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the hearing will take place March 7 in Pasadena. Under circuit court procedures, the identities of the three judges on the panel will be released publicly on Feb. 28.
Players led by current San Diego Wave star Alex Morgan sued the U.S. Soccer Federation in March 2019, contending they have not been paid equitably under their collective bargaining agreement compared with what the men’s team receives under its agreement, which expired in December 2018.
The women asked for more than $64 million in damages plus $3 million in interest under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Figure skating
Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu nearly became the first skater to land a quadruple axel while easily outpacing Shoma Uno and Yumi Kagayami to win the Japanese national championship.
Hanyu tried the jump, which includes another half rotation, at the beginning of his free skate. He ultimately twofooted the landing and the jump was downgraded to a triple axel.
The trio are expected to be the toughest competition for American star Nathan Chen at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Chen competes at U.S. nationals in two weeks.