All Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers games through Dec. 26 will be postponed over COVID-19 concerns, the NHL announced Friday. The teams, which have a combined 11 players in COVID protocols as of Friday, have also closed their training facilities.
The NHL's joint-decision with the NHLPA and club medical groups will postpone the Avalanche's games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. Florida's games against the Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators are postponed as well.
Colorado and Florida aren't the only NHL teams facing a COVID-induced pause to the season. The NHL closed the Calgary Flames' training facility and postponed at least six of their games through Dec. 23. Calgary has a league-high 19 players in protocols while Colorado and Florida have three and eight, respectively.
Other postponements across the NHL include games between the Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins, plus the Wild and Panthers.
Friday's move comes less than a day after the Canadiens barred all fans at Bell Centre through at least January. On Wednesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators reduced their seating capacity to 50%. Those were the first limits to seating capacity in the NHL this season.
As COVID-19 has begun to spread rapidly within the NHL, the players' opportunity to compete in February's 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics has come into question.
