Seven players, three coaches and seven support staff with the Calgary Flames were the latest members of the organization to be added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list.
As a results, the NHL announced Wednesday that the team’s return to playing games is being delayed at least through Saturday. The decision was made following consultation by the NHL’s, the NHLPA’s and the Club’s medical groups.
The team, which has already had three games postponed due to the outbreak, said head coach Darryl Sutter, associate coach Kirk Muller and assistant coach Ryan Huska were on the list.
In a Twitter post, the Flames also said that Rasmus Andersson, Byron Froese, Johnny Gaudreau, Erik Gudbranson, Trevor Lewis, Jacob Markstrom and Tyler Pitlick were the latest players to be added. Affected support staffers weren’t identified.
The additions brought the number of Calgary players in protocol to 16.
Noah Hanifin, Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan were added to the list on Tuesday. Elias Lindholm, Andrew Mangiapane, Brad Richardson, Adam Ruzicka, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov and a member of the training staff were added Monday.
WATCH | Will NHLers go to the Olympics?:
Canadian Olympic men’s hockey power rankings: Will NHLers go?
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Rob Pizzo addresses the giant elephant in the room: whether or not the NHL/NHLPA will pull the plug on the Olympics. 5:34
Bruins centre Patrice Bergeron added to protocol
Boston Bruins centre Patrice Bergeron is the latest NHL star to enter the league’s COVID-19 protocol, the team announced Wednesday.
More than 130 players have been added to the league’s protocol list this season, including two dozen in the last two days.
Bergeron’s teammate Brad Marchand was added to the list on Tuesday.
Boston defeated the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Saturday in Calgary.
Patrice Bergeron, seen here on Nov. 13, is the latest NHL player to be added to COVID protocols as more than 130 players have been added to the league’s protocol list this season. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Predators add 6 players and head coach to protocol
Also Wednesday, the Nashville Predators announced six players and six members of the team’s travelling party — including head coach John Hynes — were added to COVID-19 protocol.
The players included defenceman Ben Harpur and forwards Mikael Granlund, Ryan Johansen, Matt Luff, Michael McCarron and Philip Tomasino.
Goaltending coach Ben Vanderklok and assistant coaches Dan Lambert and Todd Richards were also added to the list.
Baker Mayfield tests positive for COVID-19
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and coach Kevin Stefanski tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and will likely miss Saturday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Stefanski’s positive test was first announced by the team, which then put Mayfield, starting safety John Johnson III, nickel back Troy Hill, defensive tackle Malik McDowell and defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The news came a day after the club placed eight players, including top receiver Jarvis Landry and starting offensive linemen Wyatt Teller and Jedrick Wills Jr., on the COVID-19 list.
Erie Otters have 2 games postponed
Two Erie games — Friday’s matchup in Guelph and Saturday’s home game against Kitchener — were postponed.
The ECHL announced that three games between the Worcester Railers at Reading Royals games scheduled for this weekend were postponed due to league health and safety protocols.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
