Three more Calgary Flames have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
The Flames confirmed in a short statement on social media Tuesday that defenceman Noah Hanifin and forwards Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan have joined six other players and a staff member in the league’s protocol.
“Our team is 100 per cent vaccinated and some like myself also have a booster,” Lucic wrote Tuesday in a Twitter post.
“Looking forward to being back on the ice soon!”
Forwards Elias Lindholm, Andrew Mangiapane, Brad Richardson and Adam Ruzicka and defencemen Chris Tanev and Nikita Zadorov entered protocol Monday.
The additions to the protocol come a day after the NHL postponed three Flames games: Monday in Chicago; Tuesday in Nashville and Thursday’s at home against Toronto.
The league said in a release Monday the games were postponed because of concern of continued spread and the likelihood of additional positive cases.
The Flames’ training facilities were closed. Calgary is scheduled to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Calgary became the third team to have its season interrupted by the virus. Three Ottawa Senators games were postponed and the New York Islanders had two called off last month.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Canucks have cancelled practice after two players tested positive for COVID-19.
The club says it was informed of defenceman Luke Schenn’s positive result on Monday and winger Juho Lammikko’s positive result on Tuesday morning.
Both players have been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and Tuesday’s morning skate was cancelled as a precaution.
The team was tested again on Tuesday morning and results are expected to be received before the Canucks host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
The positive results come after the Carolina Hurricanes placed centres Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis and a member of the training staff in COVID protocol on Monday. The Canucks hosted the Hurricanes on Sunday night.
Vancouver was the NHL team hit hardest by COVID-19 last season, with 21 players and four coaches testing positive for the virus, and several games being postponed.
—The Canadian Press
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