NHL decision results in another postponed game for Carolina Hurricanes

Chip Alexander
·2 min read

The NHL said Friday it would not resume regular-season play before Tuesday, Dec. 28, resulting in another postponed game for the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Canes were to host the Florida Panthers on Monday at PNC Arena coming out of their holiday break. The postponement was the Canes’ fifth of the 2021-22 season as the league continues to grope with COVID-19 outbreaks.

The NHL said Friday it needed more time to analyze testing results and assess teams’ readiness to play. Practices will be allowed on Sunday, but the NHL did not fully commit to having games on Tuesday, calling Dec. 28 a “target date” and saying an announcement on its plans would be made Sunday.

The Canes have had COVID issues and played the Detroit Red Wings last week with 16 skaters, two skaters short of a full roster. Since beating the Los Angeles Kings 5-1 on Saturday, the Canes have had goalie Frederik Andersen enter the NHL’s COVID protocols on Wednesday and forward Jesper Fast on Thursday.

The Canes have six players due to have been released from COVID protocol and set to play following the Christmas holiday break: forwards Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Seth Jarvis and Steven Lorentz, and defenseman Ian Cole.

Forward Stefan Noesen, a recent callup from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, entered the protocol Dec. 19 and defenseman Brendan Smith on Dec. 20. Goalie coach Paul Schonfelder went on the COVID list Dec. 17.

The Canes also have had defensemen Ethan Bear, Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo enter the protocol, go into quarantine and then return and play some games.

The Canes’ previous postponed games were at Minnesota (Dec. 14), home against Nashville (Dec. 19), at Boston (Dec. 21) and at Ottawa (Dec. 23). Carolina’s next scheduled game is Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens at PNC Arena.

The NHL, which is not allowing its players to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics, has said it would use the planned Olympic break to reschedule many of its postponed games.