Canadiens forced to postpone games until March 28th and close all facilities!

Things are going from worse to worst in Montreal. The National Hockey League announced today that, as a result of two Montreal Canadiens Players being in the NHL’s COVID Protocols, the team’s games have been postponed through Sunday, March 28. Pending test results in the coming days, it is expected that the Canadiens will be able to re-open their facilities for practice on Monday, March 29. 

The decision was made by the League’s, NHLPA’s and Club’s medical groups. 

The Canadiens’ organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, provincial and national agencies.

This takes place after the NHL explained it needed more time to announce what’s happening with the protocol list in Montreal. 

The NHL postponed Monday night’s game in Montreal between the Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers, making it the first contest in the all-Canadian North Division to be shut down due to COVID-19 concerns. Monday’s postponement was announced shortly before the scheduled 7 p.m. ET opening face-off after Montreal forwards Joel Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi were placed on the league’s COVID protocol list. Tuesday’s practice has been cancelled, adding that the team will report to its practice facility for regular COVID testing, while the Bell Sports Complex will be closed for “precautionary measures.”

As for today, the Anaheim Ducks’ practice at the Xcel Energy Center got cancelled after a player entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. It was just announced that four players are now in protocol : Danton Heinen, Ben Hutton, Jacob Larsson and Anthony Stolarz. The Ducks are slated to face the Minnesota Wild in the latter half of a back-to-back series Wednesday, which, as of now, is expected to be played as scheduled.

The NHL has now postponed 41 games due to COVID-19 protocol since the season began on Jan. 13.