- NHL shuts down Columbus, Montreal
- Canada pulls out of Spengler Cup
- Raptors stop team practices, training individually
The NHL has shut down the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets through its holiday break because of COVID-19.
The league said in a statement today the move was made “due to concern with the number of positive cases within the last several days as well concern for continued COVID spread.”
The NHL has now sidelined a total of nine teams because of the pandemic’s latest wave fuelled by the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
With more than 130 players and team staff currently in COVID-19 protocol, the league has been forced to postpone 42 games so far this season, with 37 coming since last Monday.
The Canadiens announced yesterday they were shutting down until Dec. 26 as a preventative measure. Montreal had already seen its games postponed until after Christmas after the NHL announced a pause to cross-border travel.
Columbus was supposed to play in Buffalo tonight and then host the Sabres on Thursday, but both games have now been scratched.
Hockey Canada pulls out of Spengler Cup
Hockey Canada has decided to not send a team to the annual Spengler Cup because of concerns over COVID-19.
The tournament is scheduled to run Dec. 26-31 in Davos, Switzerland, but increasing cases spurred by the Omicron variant have caused havoc with a number of sports organizations around the globe.
“After careful consideration and following discussion with our chief medical officer about the ever-changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hockey Canada has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the 2021 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland,” the organization said in a statement released Monday.
“We have a long-standing tradition of participating in the Spengler Cup, and it is disappointing that we are unable to attend the prestigious event this year. However, we strongly believe this is the right decision to maintain the health and safety of our players, coaches and support staff that were set to represent Canada.”
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Canada has the most championships of any country at the tournament, most recently in 2019. The tournament was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canada’s Spengler Cup team was intended to be Hockey Canada’s backup entry for the 2022 Beijing Olympics in February if the NHL pulls out of the Winter Games.
Claude Julien was named the head coach for Canada’s team at the Spengler Cup, as well as the Channel One Cup in Russia, in late November.
Raptors stop team practices, training individually
The Toronto Raptors have stopped practising as a team, instead working with coaches individually.
It’s a precautionary measure being introduced as Toronto’s game against Orlando on Monday night was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak on the Magic.
The Raptors have also been touched by the coronavirus. On Monday, the team added Gary Trent Jr. to the NBA’s protocol list, where he joins all-star forward Pascal Siakam and rookie Dalano Banton.
Toronto’s new practice regimen will feature just one player and one coach drilling at one net at a time.
There are six nets at the Raptors’ practice facility but a team spokesperson says they’ll likely limit practice to four of the hoops.
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All players and team staff will be tested before entering the OVO Athletic Centre.
Toronto’s next game is Wednesday in Chicago.
Monday’s game against Orlando at Scotiabank Arena was one of several that the NBA postponed. Sunday’s games between Denver and Brooklyn, Cleveland and Atlanta and New Orleans and Philadelphia were postponed, while Tuesday’s game between the Wizards and Nets has also been scratched.