The situation is not improving for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning, as several players have been placed on COVID-19 protocol in recent days.
The Lightning announced Sunday morning that Pierre-Édouard Bellemare, Mikhail Sergachev, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brian Elliott and assistant coach Rob Zettler have all entered into protocol. Head coach Jon Cooper had been there since December 21.
Remember that the Canadian will face the Lightning in Tampa Bay on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
In the Maple Leafs, three players have been added to the protocol: Morgan Rielly, William Nylander and Jake Muzzin. This brings to 14 the number of players in the Toronto squad placed on the protocol since December 17. That’s without counting head coach Sheldon Keefe, assistant coach Spencer Carbery and goaltending coach Steve Briere. Four other members of the organization are also there.
PHOTO PERRY NELSON, USA TODAY SPORTS
William Nylander (88) and Morgan Rielly (44) meet on COVID-19 protocol.
The National League announced on December 24 that its regular schedule would not resume until December 28, rather than December 26 as originally planned. This way of doing things will allow him to “analyze the results of the tests at the level of the League and to evaluate the capacity of the clubs to play”, she justified.
However, the teams could return to training as of Sunday, after 2 p.m. Players were required to test negative for COVID-19 before returning to their organization’s facilities.
The League is expected to provide another update on its return-to-play plans by the end of Sunday.
On the Canadian side, three players are still on protocol at the moment. Artturi Lehkonen will be in his 10e isolation day on December 28. Laurent Dauphin and Mike Hoffman should leave the protocol on December 29 and 30 respectively.
Four games are scheduled for Tuesday.
The Buffalo Sabers also placed the names of head coach Don Granato and two players in COVID-19 protocol on Sunday, the same day they returned from the holiday break.
The team canceled the training session scheduled for Sunday and announced that Granato as well as forwards Dylan Cozens and Mark Jankowski are asymptomatic.
The Sabers have been inactive since participating in a training session on Dec. 18, following a 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The team entered the holiday break last Wednesday after putting the names of forwards Jeff Skinner, Zemgus Girgensons and Vinnie Hinostroza in the protocol.
The Sabers are scheduled to play their next game on Wednesday when they host the New Jersey Devils.
With the Associated Press