Blue Jackets’ next two games postponed
The Blue Jackets are starting their holiday break earlier than expected thanks to the NHL’S ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
After three more players were added to the league’s COVID protocols list Monday with positive test results, the team’s facilities were shut down through at least Dec. 26 and two games against the Buffalo Sabres this week were postponed.
Forward Eric Robinson, defenseman Andrew Peeke and goaltender Joonas
Korpisalo tested positive Monday, a day after positive tests for captain Boone Jenner, center Jack Roslovic and defenseman Gabriel Carlsson led to the cancellation of practice plus a scheduled flight to Buffalo on Sunday.
The team initially hoped to conduct a morning skate Monday and then fly to Buffalo for the game later that night. The skate was canceled and the team cited ongoing tests as the reason, and the game was postponed soon after.
The Montreal Canadiens also were shut down Monday and the league said a joint decision will be made “in the
coming days” on when each team’s facilities can re-open.
The Blue Jackets also had a game this past Saturday in Calgary postponed to cut short a road trip to Seattle and Western Canada. The games against the Sabres were scheduled for Monday in Buffalo and Thursday in Columbus.
All six Blue Jackets players now on the league’s COVID protocols list competed in the team’s past three games against opponents who unwittingly dressed players later discovered to have COVID-19, including Seattle defenseman Jamie Oleksiak plus three Vancouver Canucks and three Edmonton Oilers. Seattle also had two players plus an assistant coach placed on the league’s protocols list the day of that game Dec. 11.
The NHL and NHL Players Association released a joint statement Sunday saying there are no plans for a leaguewide pause because of the outbreak. After consulting with each organization’s medical experts, decisions on postponing games and shutting down team facilities will be made “on a case-by-case basis.”
The league did postpone games between U.S. and Canadian teams Monday through Thursday leading into the holiday break, citing concerns about each country’s “fluid” travel restrictions during the pandemic and a surge of the new Omicron virus variant.
The league has postponed 42 games, affecting 29 of its 32 teams, and 20 teams have at least one player or staff member on the protocols list. The Flames are the hardest hit, placing 19 players, three coaches and 10 staff members on the list in the past week. The Nashville Predators aren’t far behind with eight players and five coaches in protocol.
The Sabres do not have any players out with COVID-19, while the Blue Jackets became the 20th team added to the list. The Jackets’ next scheduled game is Dec. 27 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Nationwide Arena. bhedger@dispatch.com @Brianhedger