(Reuters) – The National Hockey League (NHL) postponed nine upcoming games citing attendance restrictions in some Canadian cities on Tuesday, as COVID-19 continued to sideline players.
The league also postponed Wednesday’s Detroit Red Wings game at the New York Islanders two days after the home side placed four of their players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and isolated from their team, bringing the total number of postponements this season to 80.
The NHL and players’ body (NHLPA) agreed this week to allow teams to form temporary “taxi squads” to help avoid more disruptions to the season, after players returned from an extended holiday break on Sunday.
Last week the league said it would not send players to the men’s ice hockey tournament at the Beijing Winter Olympics, citing the pandemic’s “profound disruption” to its schedule.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
