NHL delays restart one day
The NHL pushed back its return from an already extended holiday break an extra day by postponing its entire 14-game Monday schedule for COVID-19 testing reasons.
The league said Friday it now plans to resume play Tuesday in a decision that increases the total of postponed games to 64 this season. The Kings were scheduled to visit Arizona while the Ducks were to play host to the San Jose Sharks on Monday
Teams still are scheduled to resume practicing Sunday but won’t be allowed to take the ice until players, coaches and traveling officials are cleared following a round of COVID-19 tests. The decision to delay the resumption of play will allow what the NHL called “an adequate opportunity to analyze league-wide testing results and to assess clubs’ readiness to play.”
Elsewhere, Toronto forward William Nylander entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols Friday, giving the Maple Leafs 13 players on the list. Captain John Tavares, defenseman Morgan Rielly and goaltender Jack Campbell also are in the protocols along with coach Sheldon Keefe, two assistants and four other members of the Leafs.
The International Ice Hockey Federation canceled the under-18 women’s world championship for the second straight year over COVID-19 concerns, drawing sharp criticism with the men’s world junior hockey championship opening this weekend.
The Cleveland Browns activated quarterback Baker Mayfield from the COVID-19 reserve list before leaving for Green Bay . ... Indianapolis All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson and Jacksonville pass rusher Josh Allen were the most notable new names to go on reserve/ COVID-19 lists that seem to change by the minute . ... Tyler Huntley missed practice Friday for the Baltimore Ravens with an illness, adding even more uncertainty to the team’s quarterback situation heading into this weekend’s showdown at Cincinnati . ... A passenger in a car driven by Washington Football Team safety Deshazor Everett was killed when the vehicle slammed into several trees and rolled over, authorities said. The passenger — Olivia S. Peters, 29, of Las Vegas — died at a hospital after Thursday night’s crash along a road near Aldie, Va., according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Everett, 29, of Brambleton, Va., was being treated at a hospital for injuries that were serious but not life-threatening, according to a team statement . ... The Chicago Bears will start third-string quarterback Nick Foles on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Starter Justin Fields suffered an ankle injury on Monday night and missed practice Thursday and Friday. Chicago’s other quarterback, Andy Dalton, has been out with a groin injury that happened just before he went on the reserve/ COVID-19 list last week.
The Miami Heat announced that center Dewayne Dedmon is expected to miss up to two weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.