Carolina Hurricanes’ have sixth player added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list
The Carolina Hurricanes now have a sixth player on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.
Forward Jesper Fast was listed Saturday, joining forwards Jordan Staal, Teuvo Teravainen, Jordan Martinook and Warren Foegele, and defenseman Jaccob Slavin.
The Canes have had the past three games postponed by the NHL and their training facility closed as they dealt with their COVID issues. Carolina was to have hosted the Florida Panthers in their first two home games this week, on Thursday and Saturday.
Team president and general manager Don Waddell said Thursday he was hopeful the Canes could return to their practice facility by the weekend and be able to to play games next week. The Canes are scheduled to host the Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2020 Stanley Cup champion, on Tuesday and Thursday, then have a back-to-back set against the Dallas Stars at home on Saturday and Sunday.
The Canes’ practice facility at Wake Competition Center remained closed Saturday. The NHL has made no announcement on next week’s games.
“So much is unknown,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday on a media call. “We always want to err on side of caution. We’ve done all the protocols, done a great job. Obviously it didn’t matter. It got into our room.”
The coronavirus, that is. Neither the league nor the team is allowed to give out specific information on the players who are listed as absent -- who tested positive COVID-19, who was involved because of contact tracing -- other than to provide the names.
Staal was first Hurricanes player to be put on the list on Jan 15. Teravainen, Slavin, Martinook and Foegele were added Jan. 19, the day the Canes’ road game against the Nashville Predators was postponed by the league. Brind’Amour said Thursday there were players being quarantined in Nashville.
On Saturday, the Detroit Red Wings had five players on the COVID protocol list and the Washington Capitals had four.
Fast was signed to a free-agent contract in the offseason, coming to the Canes from the New York Rangers.
This story was originally published January 23, 2021 at 6:35 PM.
