Earlier this week, the National Hockey League put the Buffalo Sabres on pause until February 8, which meant postponing two games against the NY Islander and Boston Bruins this week. The Sabres currently have five players and head coach Ralph Krueger in COVID protocols. The NHL has also shut down the Sabres' practice facilities indefinitely.
The Sabres were originally slated to play 56 games in a 113 day span. One wondered how the league would schedule Sabres makeup games to facilitate the four postponed games. The NHL does not lend itself to MLB rules where doubleheaders are a solution to postponed games.
The NHL has spoken on the matter and has revised the schedule for a dozen games.
In a statement, the Sabres have announced the schedule changes are as follows:
Buffalo at N.Y. Islanders: From February 2, 2021 to February 22, 2021 at 7 p.m. Buffalo at N.Y. Islanders: From February 4, 2021 to March 4, 2021 at 7 p.m. Buffalo at Boston: From February 6, 2021 to March 27, 2021 at 1 p.m. Buffalo at Boston: From February 8, 2021 to April 13, 2021 at 7 p.m.
Buffalo at New Jersey: From February 22, 2021 to February 23, 2021 at 7 p.m. Philadelphia at Buffalo: From February 26, 2021 to February 27, 2021 at 1 p.m. Buffalo at NY Islanders: From March 5, 2021 to March 6, 2021 at 1 p.m. Buffalo at Pittsburgh: From March 26, 2021 to March 25, 2021 at 7 p.m. Philadelphia at Buffalo: From March 30, 2021 to March 31, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. New Jersey at Buffalo: From April 9, 2021 to February 25, 2021 at 7 p.m. Buffalo at Washington: From April 13, 2021 to February 18, 2021 at 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at Buffalo: From April 19, 2021 to April 18, 2021 at 3 p.m.
Sabres forwards Taylor Hall and Toby Rieder, and defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen, Brandon Montour and Jake McCabe are in COVID protocols.
No new Buffalo Sabres players on NHL COVID protocols list today pic.twitter.com/8P1RR1YTex
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) February 5, 2021
Those players in COVID protocol are unavailable for practices, travel or games until they are removed from the protocol.
Throughout the 2020-21 season, the NHL is sharing the names of players who are "unavailable" to teams due to COVID protocols. This list is updated daily by the NHL.
These "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 team, including the precise reason a player is unavailable or how long he might be out.
Buffalo's next scheduled game is Thursday, February 11 against the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. in Buffalo.
Will Sabres-Caps game be played as scheduled in February 11?
Let’s just see what tomorrow brings.
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