9:06 PM ET The NHL plans to pause its season on Wednesday, two days before its planned Christmas break, sources told ESPN on Monday evening. All NHL team facilities will be closed between Dec. 22 and 25 as the league tries to weather several COVID-19 outbreaks. Players are set to report back to team facilities
NHL
12:34 PM ET The NHL has shut down two more teams through the Christmas break as COVID-19 cases have continued rising around the league. On Monday, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens both had their team activities paused until after Dec. 26. They were the eighth and ninth teams that the NHL has closed
8:12 AM ET The year in hockey 2021 began with a 56-game season, impacted the COVID-19 pandemic, that saw the league’s 31 teams realigned into four new divisions. It ends with the teams back in their usual divisions, although there are now 32 of them thanks to the Seattle Kraken. Oh, and it’s once again
12:32 AM ET The Toronto Maple Leafs are pausing team activities through next Sunday because of the coronavirus, the NHL announced. The league said that a decision will be made in the coming days on when Toronto’s facilities will open again. The move comes as the league postponed 12 games involving U.S. teams playing Canadian-based
6:23 PM ET The Detroit Red Wings have been shut down at least through the Christmas break because of COVID-19 issues. The NHL announced Sunday that “due to concern with the number of positive cases within the last several days,” the Red Wings’ games are postponed through at least the completion of the holiday break
8:25 PM ET ESPN News Services Chicago Blackhawks right wing Brett Connolly was suspended Sunday for four games after an interference infraction on Dallas Stars center Tanner Kero, the NHL announced. In the Stars’ 4-3 overtime victory over the Blackhawks on Saturday night in Dallas, Connelly was handed a major penalty in the first period.
4:51 PM ET The NHL has suspended games involving cross-border travel until after the Christmas break, the league announced Sunday. The league postponed 12 games involving U.S. teams playing Canadian-based teams from Dec. 20 to Dec. 23, citing concern about “the fluid nature of federal travel restrictions.” The NHL has already seen 27 games postponed
2:40 PM ET The NHL made another round of postponements Saturday amid a growing number of COVID-19 cases around the league. Nashville and Boston will both be shut down through Christmas. The Predators have eight players and several coaches placed in COVID-19 protocols and were due to play Carolina on Sunday and Winnipeg on Tuesday.
12:26 PM ET Associated Press The NHL reintroduced stricter COVID-19 protocols Saturday that include daily testing and other steps in a bid to limit a growing outbreak among players and team personnel. The enhanced protocols will be put into effect immediately and last through Jan. 1 with an evaluation of their impact no later than
1:33 PM ET The NHL has postponed games for the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche until after Christmas break. That news came down Friday as COVID-19 cases continue to climb throughout the NHL. At the time of publication, Florida had seven players in COVID protocols: Sam Bennett, Radko Gudas, Aaron Ekblad, Frank Vatrano, Ryan Lomberg,