After Columbus and Dallas had to cancel practices yesterday, Pittsburgh has had to do so today. The team released a statement to the media, including Mike DeFabo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that the decision to do so “was made out of an abundance of caution due to potential exposure of COVID-19”. It’s important to note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that players have tested positive.
Look no further than yesterday. While the Stars had six players and two staff members test positive for the virus, the Blue Jackets were able to return to practice today with basically a full complement of players. Notably, while Elvis Merzlikins was among the absentees for Columbus, it is not related to a positive test, relays Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link).
It was supposed to be a busy day for Pittsburgh today with a pair of practices plus an intrasquad game being called off while the status of Sunday’s scrimmage is also in question as well. Depending on the results of today’s testing, they could be cleared to return by then but if there are some positive tests that require several players and/or staff members to quarantine, it’s possible that Wednesday’s season-opener against Philadelphia will need to be rescheduled, similar to what happened yesterday with Dallas.
great. first the Marlins sabotage the Phillies and now this. now we’re putting even more pressure on Elliott and (God forbid) Lyon.
Dumbest cities in America? Dallas has the largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies and is populated with a higher than average number of college graduates. Not to mention the ridiculous notion that somehow the players had to do something wrong to contract covid.
Maybe I’ll have to revise the over/under on expected postponed games per week to 4.5. (Nobody should take the under.) Either that, or revise the 56-game season down to 32…