Cuda Corner: 3 players added to COVID Protocol, Monday’s game postponed
Monday night’s game against the Condors will be moved to a later date.
Before the San Jose Barracuda’s second game of their back-to-back road trip against the Colorado Eagles in Loveland last Wednesday, the club announced that three players had been added to the American Hockey League’s COVID-19 Protocol, including Nick Cicek, Evander Kane and Jasper Weatherby. The game was still played as planned, with the short-handed Barracuda losing 5-0 to the Eagles.
The Barracuda were scheduled to play the Bakersfield Condors tonight, Monday, Dec. 27, at SAP Center, but that game is going to have to wait. Due to more Barracuda players, and assistant coach Michael Chiasson, being added to the COVID-19 Protocol, that game has been postponed and will be rescheduled to a later date. The team’s next game, scheduled for Dec. 29 against the Stockton Heat at SAP Center is still scheduled as planned, with puck drop at 5 p.m. local time, but with the evolving COVID situation, it’s difficult to tell if that will remain the case.
The AHL announced three more game postponements on Monday in addition to the Barracuda’s matchup against the Condors: Grand Rapids at Cleveland, Utica at Rochester, and Ontario at San Diego will all be rescheduled at a later date.
The following Barracuda players and staff are in AHL COVID-19 Protocol:
Nick Cicek
Dillon Hamaliuk (retroactive to Dec. 23)
Evander Kane
Alexei Melnichuk
Ryan Merkley
Jasper Weatherby
Michael Chiasson, assistant coach
As for the San Jose Sharks, forwards Tomas Hertl and Jonathan Dahlen, as well as goaltender Adin Hill and an unnamed staff member remain on the NHL’s COVID Protocol. Brent Burns has been removed. The team recalled goaltender Zachary Sawchenko this morning, and added forward Nick Merkley to the team’s taxi squad, which has been added as an additional measure to prevent further postponements due to COVID.