The San Jose Sharks’ next two games against the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers have been postponed, due to an increase in COVID-19 outbreaks throughout the league. The NHL postponed all cross-border games travel games, adding another 12 games to the list of 27 games that have been postponed over the past week.
The @NHLPA and @NHL have agreed to postpone cross-border games through Dec. 23.
A full list of NHL postponements to date can be found here: https://t.co/PfY1NKP3ZR pic.twitter.com/oePGmBLpKo
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 19, 2021
This news came just before it was announced that the Detroit Red Wings would be shut down through the holiday break and will not resume club activities until Dec. 27, at the soonest. The actual return to play date will be determined in the future. The league also made a joint statement with the NHLPA on Saturday about increasing measures to prevent the spread of COVID among players and staff that will be in place until at least Jan. 7, 2022.
With the increase in COVID cases across the league, five clubs — the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators — have been temporarily shut down and the Toronto Maple Leafs and Canucks had their weekend games postponed.
There is talk that many of these games will be rescheduled during the Olympic break, as it is unlikely that there will be NHL players at the upcoming Olympics, given both the current outbreaks and the possibility that players would be forced to quarantine in China if the test positive while abroad. A decision on whether NHL players will compete in the 2022 Olympics is expected to come sometime in the next few days.
The Sharks’ next game will be after the holiday break, on Dec. 27 against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.
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