(Toronto) A sold-out game. Connor McDavid vs. Auston Matthews. Two teams desperate to right the wrongs caused by their playoff failures. A favorite of the returning home crowd.
Wednesday night was supposed to showcase all of that, when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Edmonton Oilers.
As on many occasions since March 2020, COVID-19 has been a spoiler, on the other hand.
New health restrictions in Ontario on crowd size mean the game will be played without spectators, while the presence of the two stars remains unclear following recent positive coronavirus tests.
Matthews, away from back-to-back workouts, tested positive Monday before the next test came back negative on Tuesday. Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said more tests will be needed before it is known whether his number one center will play on Wednesday.
Oilers driver Dave Tippett said McDavid, who missed Monday’s practice, and teammate Derek Ryan tested positive after playing against the New York Rangers the night before.
Neither player trained in Toronto on Tuesday and both were due to be tested again later Tuesday, before their availability for Wednesday’s game could be determined.
Matthews, the Maurice-Richard Trophy holder, and McDavid, who won the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy last season, had each previously tested positive for COVID-19 in 2020.
“The way things are here is just a normal day-to-day event,” Tippett summed up.
Add the return of Oilers winger Zach Hyman to Toronto, but in front of empty stands. He captured the hearts of fans with his determination, in six seasons with the Leafs.
“People have been disappointed for several months now, so I think everyone’s gotten used to it,” said Hyman, who signed a free agent contract with the Oilers in July. I would have liked to see fans in the stands and I wish that was normal. ”
Like last season in the North section, there will again be canvases covering the first level seats, recorded crowd noises, and a need for players to create their own energy.
“It’s out of our control,” said Maple Leafs captain John Tavares. Being negative about it or being frustrated is no use.
“We’ll just have to adapt and just focus on what’s going on on the ice. ”
The Leafs recently experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 cases. At some point, 14 players and seven staff, including Keefe, had to adhere to the coronavirus protocol.
The Maple Leafs beat the Ottawa Senators 6-0 as both teams returned to action after the extended holiday break.
They appeared to have left the hostel before Matthews and assistant coach Dean Chynoweth produced positive tests on Monday.
Keefe said that unlike Matthews, Chynoweth’s second test was also positive.
“It’s not ideal, (but) we’ve had games without him the last few years,” Tavares said of Matthews’ potential absence. You will never replace this type of player, but everyone can look to do a little more and take advantage of the opportunity. ”
The Oilers are 2-8-2 in their last 12 games.
They could be forced to play without two of their four centers – notably the best player in the world – against a team that could also play without the services of their centerpiece.
This is not exactly what everyone had in mind.
“The reality is we’re still in there,” Hyman said of the pandemic. Hopefully we are out of it now and things can get back to normal soon. ”
A soon that does not come quickly enough.