When will the Canes play again? Will they make up games postponed by COVID-19? Here’s what we know.
Carolina Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said Thursday he believes the team will be able to make up games postponed because of COVID-19 issues and was hopeful the Canes could play again next week.
The Canes had five players Thursday on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list: forwards Jordan Staal, Teuvo Teravainen, Warren Foegele, and Jordan Martinook, and defenseman Jaccob Slavin. Carolina, which won two of its first three games, has had its past three games postponed.
Waddell, in a media call, was limited in what he could say about the team’s COVID problems because of NHL protocols and restrictions, and did not say how many players had tested positive for the virus or were in contact tracing. Waddell said he did not know how the Hurricanes’ players became infected, saying, “If we could figure out where it’s coming from I think there would be a lot of sports teams that would pretty happy. We look at every angle.”
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour noted, “We have guys sitting in Nashville in a hotel room that can’t leave their room.” He was referring to players in COVID-19 quarantine, calling it “brutal” and saying he feels for those players.
Readjusting Carolina’s schedule, staying safe
The Canes have home games scheduled Jan. 26 and Jan. 28 against Tampa Bay and then back-to-back games against the Dallas Stars on Jan. 30-31. Waddell said the league is working on readjusting the Canes’ schedule and that it might result in playing five games in seven nights. He said the league will try to avoid playing three games in three days, which can put the players at risk.
Brind’Amour said the players practiced “on Zoom” on Thursday and were working out at home. He said he hoped they would not be too far behind physically once they return to the ice, although saying that was the “great unknown.”
“We all understood there was a chance something like this was going to happen,” Brind’Amour said. “You just look at all the other sports, it’s rare to find a team it didn’t affect in some way or another. It’s not really about was it going to happen but how you deal with it.
“That’s really what we’re going to find out, how we handle this coming out. Are we going to be in tip-top shape? Probably not. We’re going to have figure out different ways to make up for the time we lost. It really comes down to doing it right as best you can and that’s what we’ve always preached.
“I believe in the group. I think we can find a way to get through this. I think we’ll be stronger in a lot of ways. I don’t think we’ll be too adversely affected.”
While the players on the COVID list are in quarantine the Canes’ plan is to recall players who have some NHL experience. Staal could return Thursday.
Rapid coronavirus testing machines at PNC Arena
The NHL on Wednesday announced that the Canes’ two games this week against the Florida Panthers at PNC Arena had been postponed. The postponements were announced a day after the league postponed the Hurricanes’ Tuesday night game in Nashville against the Predators.
The Canes’ training facility has been closed by the league. Waddell said he hoped the facility might be available by the weekend to “do some things” although not with a full team.
Waddell said rapid testing machines for coronavirus were being been installed in PNC Arena. The players will be spaced out in the locker room area.
“I think we’ve done everything we can possibly do and you just can’t control it,” he said. “We have to figure out how to get it out of the locker room and make sure we keep our environment safe for our players.”
The Hurricanes became the first NHL team to have games postponed for COVID reasons since the regular season began last week. The Dallas Stars had their regular-season schedule reworked after a cluster of COVID cases during training camp.
No NHL team other than the Hurricanes had more than two players on the COVID list on Tuesday. The NHL report is released each day after 5 p.m.
NHL’s COVID protocol
The NHL is listing players this season that are not available and termed “COVID protocol related absences.” Being placed on the list does not indicate that a positive test for coronavirus has been confirmed, although that can be one reason for the reported absence.
An initial positive test might remain unconfirmed. Those with COVID symptoms could be in isolation. A player could be in quarantine and considered a high-risk close contact. There could be a quarantine for travel.
When a player tests positive, they must self-isolate and the team is instructed to conduct contact tracing. If the player’s second test is negative he is required to test negative again for two consecutive days before being removed from the league’s protocol.
This story was originally published January 21, 2021 at 11:56 AM.
