COVID restrictions prompt NHL to reschedule 9 Canadian games

Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL has put a return to play on home ice on ice for several Canadian teams.

Due to current attendance restrictions in certain Canadian cities, the league will reschedule nine additional games to later dates “when such restrictions may be eased or lifted,” the NHL said in a release.

SCHEDULE UPDATE: @NHL postpones one game due to COVID-related issues and nine games due to Canadian attendance restrictions.

Full release: https://t.co/xBNA4hKsO6 pic.twitter.com/edfOM7qckp

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 28, 2021

Among the game affected include New Year’s Eve games featuring the Winnipeg Jets at Calgary Flames, and Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators.

The Montreal Canadiens will have four additional home dates postponed, including against the Washington Capitals on January 4, Toronto Maple Leafs on January 6, Buffalo Sabres on January 8, and Columbus Blue Jackets on January 10.

Additionally, the Leafs will not host the Carolina Hurricanes as scheduled on January 3.

The full list of games include:

Friday, December 31

Pittsburgh Penguins @ Ottawa Senators
Winnipeg Jets @ Calgary Flames

Monday, January 3

Carolina Hurricanes @ Toronto Maple Leafs

Tuesday, January 4

Washington Capitals @ Montreal Canadiens

Thursday, January 6

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Montreal Canadiens

Saturday, January 8

Buffalo Sabres @ Montreal Canadiens
Seattle Kraken @ Winnipeg Jets

Monday, January 10

Columbus Blue Jackets @ Montreal Canadiens
Minnesota Wild @ Winnipeg Jets

Make-up dates for the games have yet to be established.

The NHL had already postponed 14 games scheduled for Monday, including games scheduled for the Flames, Leafs, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks.

The league pulled out of the 2022 Beijing Olympics last week due to rising cases of COVID-19, as the highly-infectious Omicron variant spreads throughout North America.

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