The NHL announced Thursday night that it has postponed Avalanche games through at least Feb. 11 -- two games this weekend in St. Louis and two games against Arizona at Ball Arena next Tuesday and Thursday because of NHL COVID protocol.
Captain Gabriel Landeskog earlier Thursday was added to the protocol list, joining Tyson Jost, who was added Wednesday.
Landeskog missed part of training camp while on the protocol list, though he later said he didn’t test positive for the coronavirus. Erik Johnson, who did test positive, Philipp Grubauer and Brandon Saad also missed part of camp for protocol reasons.
The Avalanche/Minnesota game scheduled for Thursday was postponed by the league Wednesday because of the virus; seven Wild players are on the protocol list.
Tuesday's 2-1 Avalanche win was the third game between the teams in a span of four nights.
An update from the NHL on our future games.https://t.co/SeKkeej8UA
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) February 5, 2021
Even though only two Avalanche players are on the list as of Thursday night, the postponements are actually a blessing considering six players already are injured -- forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Matt Calvert; defensemen Johnson and Devon Toews, and goalie Pavel Francouz, who has been placed on the long term injury list.
Two-thirds of the first and fourth lines are now unavailable, along with two of the six top defenseman and the backup goalie. Perhaps the league took this into account.
Here is the NHL explanation for what being on the protocol list means:
Continuing for the balance of the 2020-21 season, the NHL is sharing the names of Players who are “unavailable… to the Club (to practice, travel or play in games) due to COVID protocols. Such “COVID Protocol Related Absences… can be the result of a number of factors including, among others: (1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol.
No additional detail will be provided either by the League or the Club, including the precise reason the Player is unavailable or how long he might be out.
The league on Thursday announced additional preventative measures that must be taken by the teams:
The @NHL announced today a series of additional COVID-19 preventative measures, which all Clubs must implement beginning with today’s games.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 4, 2021
Details: https://t.co/U7Ywo6C8X2 pic.twitter.com/tNIiDenEg3