On Friday afternoon, Alex Edler, Braden Holtby, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen and Antoine Roussel were the five new players to be named alongside Gaudette and Travis Hamonic on the NHL’s COVID protocol list for April 2.
Both TSN and Sportsnet reported Friday morning that six more Canucks players have now tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the team’s current total of positive results to eight players and one member of the team’s coaching staff. These reports have yet to be confirmed by the club.
In response to a request for confirmation from Vancouver Is Awesome, a spokesperson for the team pointed toward a statement released by the NHL yesterday announcing that the team’s games have been postponed through Tuesday, April 6 at the earliest, as a result of two Vancouver Canucks players and a member of the coaching staff entering into the NHL’s COVID protocols.
“Pending test results in the coming days, it is expected that the Canucks will be able to resume their game schedule on Thursday, April 8, with a return to practice not occurring before April 6,” yesterday’s statement read.
On Thursday, Hamonic was revealed to be the second Canuck after Gaudette to test positive by the NHL’s COVID protocol list. He last skated with the team on Wednesday.
Hamonic’s status is particularly disheartening considering his family history. As a member of the Calgary Flames last season, the 30-year-old defencemanopted out of the summer Stanley Cup tournament due to his concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic after his daughter was hospitalized with a serious respiratory illness a year prior.
“We saw what a respiratory virus can do to our healthy little girl. And it’s something no parent wants or should go through. Now, blessed with our second child, a baby boy, the risk of today’s COVID-19 pandemic is a very difficult one to weigh as parents,” he expressed in a statement released through his agency at the time.
“I wish I could lace up my skates and be out there battling, blocking a shot, and helping the team win. But my family has and always will come first. Being my little kids’ dad every day is the most important job I have.”
Throughout the hockey season, the NHL has used its COVID protocol list to share names of players who have been rendered “unavailable” to practice, travel or play for their respective clubs due to the virus.
These “COVID Protocol Related Absences” can come as a result of an initial positive test—a player receives a second test to confirm the first, and if that second test is negative, he’ll be tested again. Alternatively, players who are experiencing symptoms or players who have been identified as high-risk close contacts of a confirmed positive case will also be required to isolate under the league’s COVID protocols.
Yesterday, Gaudette’s wife, Micaela, took to Twitter with an update on both her and her husband’s condition. “I’ve been feeling fine other than being tired and I just woke up with a bad headache,” she shared. “My hubby isn’t in great shape but I’m taking good care of him! Thank you to all that have said kind things to us during this time.”
It hasn’t been all kind messages, evidently. In a separate tweet, she wrote, “People on Twitter are ruthless. A human being gets sick with a virus we don’t know much about and [ya’ll] are angry at him because you cant watch a game on tv?”
On Friday, the NHL announced that a game between the Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets, originally scheduled for May 7, will now take place on Monday, April 5. “The rescheduled date is a result of recently postponed games affecting the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets,” the league wrote.
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.
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