Connolly latest in protocol
Chicago Blackhawks forward Brett Connolly was placed in COVID-19 protocols before Saturday’s home game against the Anaheim Ducks, making him the fifth player currently in quarantine.
Forwards Kirby Dach and Dylan Strome were added to the list Thursday.
The Hawks lost four team members before Tuesday’s game in Columbus, Ohio: defensemen Seth Jones and Jake McCabe, head equipment manager Troy Parchman and head athletic trainer Mike Gapski.
Ten members of the team have entered the protocols in the last 10 days, though three have returned.
“It’s spreading pretty good here lately,” forward Alex DeBrincat said. “It’s tough to see guys dropping like flies, pretty much.
“Everyone’s doing as much as they can to stay safe, but it goes around quick. So just try to stay healthy and hopefully guys aren’t having any symptoms and can come back and be ready to play.”
Five players remain in protocols since the beginning of this month’s outbreak: Jones, McCabe, Strome, Dach and Connolly.
“Obviously you miss those guys,” coach Derek King said. “We have five good hockey players sitting out.
“Insert those guys in our lineup, that’s when the challenge is: Who do you pull out?”
On Jan. 6, forwards Brandon Hagel and Sam Lafferty and defenseman Erik Gustafsson were shelved by COVID-19.
Gustafsson and goaltender Kevin Lankinen, both of whom entered Dec. 31, were removed from the list Wednesday, and Hagel and
Sam Lafferty were activated Thursday.
All three skaters played in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens, and Lankinen backed up Marc-André Fleury. Hagel and Gustafsson assisted on Philipp Kurashev’s winning goal.
Gustafsson said he spent an uneventful five days off at home during his time on the COVID-19 list.
“I didn’t have any symptoms or anything,” Gustafsson said. “Was just home trying to stay away from everyone. It’s hard when you have a family and three kids, but it wasn’t bad.
“But it was a quick five days, so good to be back.”