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Four St. Louis Blues Enter COVID Protocol

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Four St. Louis Blues — forwards Dakota Joshua, James Neal, Ivan Barbashev, and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo — have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols, per a team release.

There are now five Blues on the protocol list, joining Oskar Sundqvist on the list.

Barbashev’s been a shocking producer to start the year, going on a tear with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 31 games. He’d been averaging over 17 minutes a game, too, so his absence can’t be taken lightly.

Joshua, Neal, and Bortuzzo had combined for just 11 points this year, but it’s just more depth missing from a Blues roster that’s been rocked by absences all year.

Barbashev entered protocol on December 23, so he’s eligible to return three days earlier than the other three players. However, due to an open schedule, all four could come back into action on January 5 against Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it seems like all four will be unavailable for the Winter Classic on New Years Day.

Edmonton Oilers Place Zack Kassian In COVID Protocol

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The Edmonton Oilers placed forward Zack Kassian in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today, per a team tweet.

Edmonton also recalled defensemen Philip Broberg and Dmitri Samorukov from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis.

Kassian’s got four goals and eight assists through 25 games this season. He joins Jesse Puljujarvi, Darnell Nurse, Duncan Keith, and William Lagesson in COVID protocol for the Oilers.

Broberg’s already played in eight NHL games this season, getting his first NHL point (an assist) in the process. Samorukov, however, is slated to make his NHL debut on Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues. The 84th overall selection in 2017 is in the final year of his entry-level contract and has three points in 15 games with the Condors this year.

Anaheim Ducks Add Two Players, Staff Member To COVID Protocol

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The Anaheim Ducks announced via Twitter on Sunday afternoon that left wing Max Comtois, center Sam Steel, and a staff member entered the NHL’s COVID protocol.

Comtois had just been cleared to return to the lineup after missing nearly a month with a hand injury. The 22-year-old Canadian has really struggled to produce offensively this season, garnering only one assist through 14 games.

Steel’s solidified a role in the lineup after some healthy scratches early in the season. The 23-year-old has four goals and four assists in 25 games.

The Ducks previously had no extra healthy skaters on the roster. Expect a series of recalls soon from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

Comtois and Steel will likely miss Anaheim’s next four games and could return on January 6 against the Detroit Red Wings.

Los Angeles Kings Activate Drew Doughty, Place Two In COVID Protocol

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Defenseman Drew Doughty has exited the NHL’s COVID protocol, but the Los Angeles Kings added right wing Dustin Brown and defenseman Olli Maatta to the list today, per a team tweet.

In a corresponding move, the team assigned center Alex Turcotte, their fifth-overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft, to the taxi squad. Centers Quinton Byfield and Phillip Danault as well as goalie Cal Petersen remain in COVID protocol.

Doughty’s faced multiple injury and health concerns this season, but he’s been extremely productive for the Kings when in the lineup. He’s averaging 24:49 per game and has 13 points through 11 contests, and his return to the lineup will be hotly anticipated.

Brown has just four goals through 30 games and Maatta has struggled to stay in the lineup this year, but it’s still a hit to the Kings’ depth. They’ll likely miss the Kings’ next three games and are eligible to return on January 6 against the Nashville Predators.

New York Rangers Add Three To COVID Protocol

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The New York Rangers added defensemen Patrik Nemeth and Ryan Lindgren as well as goaltender Alexandar Georgiev to the NHL’s COVID protocol, the team announced via a tweet Sunday afternoon.

New York was one of the few teams without any players in COVID protocol entering today. With left wing Artemi Panarin and defensemen Nils Lundkvist currently unavailable, expect multiple recalls from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack prior to the Rangers’ next game — if it happens. Their next scheduled contest is on December 29 against the Florida Panthers, who placed four players into COVID protocol today.

Lindgren and Nemeth had combined for just six points this year, but Lindgren’s been an integral piece of the Rangers defense on a pairing with superstar Adam Fox. He’s averaging 20:20 per game and leads the team in +/-. Nemeth has been solid enough in a third-pairing role as well.

Georgiev had struggled between the pipes to begin the season but was on a recent heater with more starts due to Igor Shesterkin’s injury. He’s worked his way back up to a .902 save percentage on the year.

Nemeth, Lindgren, and Georgiev will be out for the Rangers’ next four games. If healthy, they’ll be eligible to return to the lineup on January 6 against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Philadelphia Flyers Add Sean Couturier, Ryan Ellis To COVID Protocol

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The Philadelphia Flyers announced Sunday that center Sean Couturier was placed in the NHL’s COVID protocol on December 21, while defenseman Ryan Ellis and two staff members entered protocol today.

There are now five Flyers skaters in COVID protocol, joining forwards Kevin Hayes, Morgan Frost, and Max Willman.

Couturier, after hovering near a point-per-game pace for the last three seasons, has just six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 29 games this year (0.59 points per game). Despite that, he’s still averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game and is steady as ever defensively.

Ellis was already out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, but was expected to return around the holiday break. Injuries have limited him to just four games this season, his first with the Flyers after arriving via trade from the Nashville Predators.

Couturier will miss the next two of Philadelphia’s games and could be eligible to return on New Years Day against the Los Angeles Kings. Ellis, as he was just added today, will miss more time. If healthy, he could return on January 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, missing the team’s next four games at the least.

East Notes: Rodrigues, Coyle, Marner, Blue Jackets

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The Penguins have placed winger Evan Rodrigues in COVID protocol, a team spokesperson confirmed to Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  The 28-year-old has been one of the biggest surprises around the league this season, going from someone who had previously been non-tendered to a regular spot on their top line and he has rewarded them with an impressive showing offensively, sitting second in team scoring with 10 goals and 13 assists in 30 games.  He will now be out for at least the next ten days.

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:

  • The Bruins have lost a player to COVID protocol as the team announced that forward Charlie Coyle has been placed in protocols. The 29-year-old sits fifth in team scoring with seven goals and seven assists in 26 games.  Coyle has been trying to fill David Krejci’s spot on Boston’s second line after the long-time Boston veteran decided to play back at home in the Czech Extraliga this season.
  • Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner returned to practice today for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury earlier this month, relays David Alter of The Hockey News (Twitter link). Worth noting is that while Marner is currently on LTIR (which has allowed Toronto to stay cap-compliant among other players being brought up) is that postponed games count towards the 10 games a player must miss while on there so Toronto’s postponements won’t automatically delay Marner’s return.
  • The Blue Jackets welcomed a trio of players back to practice today as Aaron Portzline of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that winger Patrik Laine plus defensemen Adam Boqvist and Dean Kukan have all resumed skating. Laine has been out with an oblique injury since early November after getting off to a good start to his final season of RFA eligibility with ten points in nine games.  As for the blueliners, Boqvist suffered an upper-body injury two weeks ago while Kukan fractured his wrist in late October.

Red Wings Add Two, Remove Two From COVID Protocol

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The Red Wings have lost a pair of players to COVID protocol but have also welcomed two back as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Lucas Raymond and defenseman Nick Leddy have been placed into protocol while winger Robby Fabbri and center Michael Rasmussen have both been activated and placed on the active roster.

Raymond is off to a very impressive start to his rookie season and is an early contender for the Calder Trophy after recording 10 goals and 18 assists in 31 games placing him second in scoring on Detroit behind only Dylan Larkin.  As for Leddy, he has helped to stabilize their back end, logging nearly 22 minutes per game which places him third on the team in that category.

Fabbri returns after last suiting up on December 14th which also happened to be the day that he signed a new three-year extension.  He has 14 points in 29 games this season including eight goals which puts him in the top five in that category on the Red Wings.  Meanwhile, Rasmussen has held down a regular spot in Detroit’s lineup this season, picking up 10 points in 29 games while averaging 15:28 per game, the highest ATOI of his career.

The Red Wings are scheduled to return to game action on Wednesday against the Islanders with the standard caveat that the schedule is subject to change if further COVID-related postponements are deemed necessary.

Sabres Place Three In COVID Protocol

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The Sabres have announced that head coach Don Granato along with center Dylan Cozens and Mark Jankowski have all been placed in COVID protocol.  They added that all three are currently asymptomatic although under the current NHL protocols, all three will miss at least the next three days.

Cozens is off to a good start to his sophomore season, collecting eight goals and seven assists in 30 games, good for sixth in scoring on the Sabres.  Meanwhile, Jankowski was recently converted to an NHL contract and had played in four games since then, picking up an assist while logging nearly 13 minutes a night in ice time.  The two join Zemgus Girgensons and Vinnie Hinostroza as those that are currently unavailable while Granato is one of eight head coaches currently in COVID protocol.

Buffalo is currently slated to return to the ice on Wednesday against New Jersey unless there are further changes made to the schedule with a decision on that front expected later today.

Stars Place Five Players In COVID Protocol

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Dallas has returned from their holiday break with a sizable batch of COVID-positive tests as well.  The Stars announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Miro Heiskanen, center Radek Faksa, plus wingers Jason Robertson, Michael Raffl, and Joel Kiviranta have all been placed into COVID protocol along with two support staff members.  They will all now be out for at least the next ten days.

Heiskanen is obviously a significant loss as he is their top defenseman.  The 22-year-old has four goals and 14 assists in 28 games this season while leading the Stars in ATOI at 24:32 per game.  With Jani Hakanpaa also recently entering COVID protocol, Dallas will need to bring up a blueliner from AHL Texas.

They’ll also have to recall several forwards as they were down to 11 on the active roster with three of their active players entering protocol today (Kiviranta is currently on IR with an upper-body injury).  Robertson sits second on the team in scoring with 10 goals and 15 assists in 23 games and is the only Star averaging more than a point per game on the season.  Faksa has been limited to just two goals in 27 contests but has won an impressive 57% of his faceoffs while Raffl has eight points in 28 games on the season.

Dallas is next scheduled to take to the ice on Wednesday against Colorado pending any other adjustments to the schedule.

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