The NHL announced Sunday it has suspended games involving cross-border travel until after the Christmas break due to an increased outbreak of COVID-19.
The suspension will go into effect on Monday and will last through Thursday, the league said in a news release. That will cover 12 games involving U.S. teams playing Canadian-based teams, ESPN reported.
The NHL has already postponed 27 games due to COVID-19 outbreaks, the sports network reported.
“Due to the concern about cross-border travel and, given the fluid nature of federal travel restrictions, effective on Monday, all games involving a Canadian-based team playing a U.S.-based team ... will be postponed and rescheduled,” the NHL said in a statement.
The @NHLPA and @NHL have agreed to continue the 2021-22 regular-season schedule, with details of that agreement outlined at the link below and in this thread.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 19, 2021
Details: https://t.co/lEKv4lZovh pic.twitter.com/Qxf8XBE7ni
The @NHL / @NHLPA discussion on Olympic participation is ongoing, with a final determination expected in the coming days.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 19, 2021
Details: https://t.co/lEKv4lZovh pic.twitter.com/DAtgXkHoNu
The NHL and the players’ union have been speaking over the past few days and are determined not to implement a full-schedule pause, ESPN reported.
However, the latest uptick in COVID-19 cases has put Olympic participation for NHL players in jeopardy, according to the sports network. The NHL is scheduled to take a three-week break to allow players to travel to Beijing for the Winter Games in February.
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The NHL has a Jan. 10 deadline to opt out of the Olympics without a financial penalty, ESPN reported.
“The NHL and NHLPA are actively discussing the matter of NHL Player participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, and expect to be in a position to announce a final determination in the coming days,” the NHL said in its news release.
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