RALEIGH — The Carolina Hurricanes played two games with six players in the NHL’s COVID protocol, winning both despite playing one game down two skaters and another with five call-ups from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
The next time they play, they should be back to full strength.
After the NHL shut down both the Predators and Bruins on Saturday, postponing Carolina’s home game Sunday against Nashville and Tuesday’s game in Boston, the league also scrapped the Hurricanes’ game Thursday in Ottawa when it ruled that any games that required crossing the U.S.-Canada border would not be played until after the Christmas break on Dec. 27. The Hurricanes are scheduled to host the Florida Panthers that day.
A seventh Hurricanes player, Stefan Noesen, was placed in the protocol on Sunday. He joins Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis (Dec. 13); and Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov, Steven Lorentz and Ian Cole (Dec. 14). Goalie coach Paul Schonfelder (Dec. 17) and massage therapist Mike Maresca (Dec. 13). Team television reporter Abby Labar also tested positive for COVID-19 and missed Saturday’s home broadcast of Carolina’s 5-1 win over the Kings.
All of the players and staff who have tested positive have either had mild symptoms or been asymptomatic.
Players and staff must quarantine 10 days, be symptom-free and test negative for the coronavirus before they can be taken out of the protocol.
