The NHL is about to announce that the January 15 game between the Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils at the Bell Center will be postponed. Reporters from RDS and TVA Sports reported the news on Twitter late Wednesday afternoon.
Considering that the club’s next four home games have already been postponed, and the team will be flying on a long five-game road trip from January 17 to 24, the Habs are guaranteed not to play at home before January 27, at least. For now, a duel against the Anaheim Ducks is on the schedule that night.
On a full training break given the outbreak of COVID-19 which is currently defeating its training, the CH must theoretically resume work this Friday, January 7. Its next two games are currently scheduled for January 12 and 13, in Boston and Chicago, respectively.
The NHL has been increasing postponements of American teams’ games in Canada for the past two weeks, due on the one hand to restrictions imposed on travelers crossing the border – a player who tests positive on the Canadian side should theoretically stay there for as long as possible. ‘around forty – and on the other hand government measures that have drastically, if not totally, reduced the capacity of arenas.
The duel between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators on 1er For example, last January was contested in front of some 1,000 spectators, a limit imposed in Ontario.
Quebec authorities, however, prohibit the presence of spectators in sports arenas. Since this decision was announced, a little before Christmas, the Canadian has seen all of his home games be postponed.
In addition, Bill Daly, assistant commissioner of the NHL, indicated in a recent interview with the Sportsnet network that the postponements of games were drawing to an end since, it is obvious, they must necessarily be disputed at a later date. According to him, after mid-January, the league should resolve to play games in empty arenas.