NHL suspends all cross-border games through Dec. 23
Posted December 19, 2021 4:49 pm.
Last Updated December 19, 2021 7:08 pm.
The NHL has announced all cross-border games will be suspended through Dec. 23 due to a rise in COVID-19 cases amongst teams.
An additional twelve games have been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date. A full list of the affected games can be found here.
The NHL cited “the fluid nature of federal travel restrictions” in a statement announcing the postponements.
The Maple Leafs have also shut down all team activities through the scheduled completion of the holiday break on Dec. 26. A decision on when training facilities will reopen will be announced in the coming days.
The Leafs currently have at least nine players in COVID-19 protocol and were scheduled to play last night against the Vancouver Canucks, who are also experiencing an outbreak. The league has also postponed Toronto’s next game on Sunday against the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver’s game on Sunday against the Arizona Coyotes.
Six teams — the Panthers, Bruins, Predators, Avalanche, Red Wings and Flames — have also already been shut down until after the three-day Christmas break due to outbreaks on their rosters.
It was also determined the 2021/2022 regular season will continue to be played as scheduled apart from these postponements after an agreement was reached between the NHL and the NHL Player’s Association.
However, COVID-19 cases counts will be monitored closely, according to the NHL and the “need to temporarily shut down individual teams should continue to be made on a case-by-case basis.
The @NHLPA and @NHL have agreed to continue the 2021-22 regular-season schedule, with details of that agreement outlined at the link below and in this thread.
Details: https://t.co/lEKv4lZovh pic.twitter.com/Qxf8XBE7ni
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 19, 2021
The league had already announced enhanced COVID-19 measures due to a sharp increase in positive tests amongst players and staff.
The enhanced measures apply to both fully vaccinated individuals and unvaccinated players and are meant to prevent contracting or transmitting COVID-19 as well as early detection of any positive cases so as to prevent further transmission. They will be in effect until Jan. 7.
Many of the measures were part of last year’s protocols for players and all travelling team officials.
With files from John Marchesan
