The Ditch part deux

Spurgeon named captain of Wild, replaces Koivu
Defenseman their longest-tenured player entering 11th season with Minnesota

 

SUNRISE, Fla. - The Florida Panthers announced today that BB&T Center will allow a limited arena capacity for all 28 Panthers regular season home games for the 2020-21 National Hockey League season.

BB&T Center recently became the first NHL hockey arena to achieve the International WELL Building Institute's (IWBI) WELL Health-Safety Rating, in recognition of the arena's stringent guidelines and protocols to combat COVID-19, and its preparedness to safely accommodate fans upon reopening.

Territory Members receive priority access to available seats through an opt-in process for seat selections. A limited amount of single game tickets for all 28 home games will be available for purchase beginning on Jan. 8, 2021 at 10 am. To purchase, visit FloridaPanthers.com/tickets.

In preparing the arena for the 2020-21 season, BB&T Center and the Florida Panthers have continued to work closely with the IWBI, Broward County, and Baptist Health South Florida to prepare comprehensive health and safety regulations for all patrons and staff. Additionally, the Panthers' Red Reminders Program, created in partnership with Baptist Health South Florida, will utilize signage and markers stationed throughout the entire BB&T Center to visually remind fans of important health and safety guidelines throughout their entire journey, from the moment fans enter the parking lot, to the time they take their socially-distanced seats.

"I'm incredibly proud of our exceptional staff's tireless work and dedication to ensuring the safest possible environment for Panthers fans and the South Florida community, who are an integral part of our team," said Panthers President & CEO Matt Caldwell. "Through our rigorous collective efforts, we have achieved the highest of health and safety standards for BB&T Center, and couldn't be more excited or prepared to safely welcome back our fans at a limited, socially-distant capacity, and begin this next chapter of Panthers hockey with health and safety as our guiding priority."

BB&T Center is the first and only sports & entertainment venue in Florida to have achieved the WELL Health-Safety Rating, which is informed by the world's leading scientific experts and trusted resources such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and serves as the global benchmark for best operating procedures to help combat COVID-19, with a focus on air treatment and ventilation, enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures, emergency preparedness, and more.

The Panthers intend to open the season with a limited capacity of up to 25%, however given the unpredictability of the pandemic will remain flexible and in compliance with the NHL, and local and national governmental and health authorities so as to ensure the safety of fans, players, game-related personnel, and the local community.

NBC

 

Good news for Henrik Lundqvist as he announced on his Twitter and Instagram feeds that his heart surgery “went really well.”

“Day 3. Surgery went really well,” Lundqvist said. “About 5 hours to get it all taken care of. Really appreciate the great staff here at the Clevland Clinic. Last few days has been pretty crazy but feel like I’m in really good hands. Every day is a step in the right direction.”

 

The NHL announced that six Dallas Stars players and two staff members tested positive for COVID-19. With that, Stars practice was canceled on Friday. It wasn’t the only COVID-related disruption on Friday, either, as several Blue Jackets were held out of practice for what the team calls “an abundance of caution.”

Dallas Stars cancel practice after six players, two staffers test positive for COVID
Here’s the full statement from the NHL on behalf of the Stars canceling practice due to COVID:

"The National Hockey League announced today that six Dallas Stars players and two staff members have recently confirmed positive tests for the COVID-19 virus. Those individuals are self-isolating and following CDC and League protocols. As a result of the positive tests, and as an appropriate precaution, the team’s training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed for several days while further daily testing and contact tracing is conducted. The League is in the process of reviewing and revising the Stars’ regular season schedule with the expectation that the team will not open its 2020-21 season earlier than Tuesday, January 19.

The Stars organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies."

 

Looks like 19 players from the Blue Jackets missed practice today because of Covid protocols also...

The Dallas and FLA opener is also being postponed...

 

The Dallas Stars' first two games of this season, at the Florida Panthers, have been postponed after six players and two staff members recently tested positive for COVID-19.

The Stars were scheduled to play at Florida on Jan. 14 and 15 in the opening games for each team. Dallas is scheduled to play at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 17 and 19. The NHL said Friday that the Stars facilities were closed and Dallas likely would not play earlier than Jan. 19.

"In light of the National Hockey League's announcement regarding the closure of the Dallas Stars' training facility, the Dallas Stars at Florida Panthers games scheduled for Jan. 14 and 15 will be postponed," the Panthers said in a statement. "The NHL will announce the dates and times on which the games will be played once the schedule is revised.

"The safety of our fans, players, personnel, and the community are, and will remain, our top priority, and therefore we, along with the Dallas Stars organization, will continue to follow all recommended protocols and guidelines as we observe this postponement."

Dallas canceled practice Friday before the NHL announced the positive tests. The Stars were off Thursday and last practiced Wednesday.

"Those individuals are self-isolating and following CDC and League protocols," the NHL said in a statement. "As a result of the positive tests, and as an appropriate precaution, the team's training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed for several days while further daily testing and contact tracing is conducted.

"The Stars organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies," the NHL said.

Also on Friday, 19 players did not practice for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who said an unspecified number of players were sidelined "out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with NHL COVID-19 protocols."

Columbus is scheduled to opens its season at the Nashville Predators on Jan. 14. Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said he is not sure if that game will be affected.

NHL.com

 

Corey Crawford retired from the NHL on Saturday.

The 36-year-old goalie, who won the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015, had not practiced at New Jersey Devils training camp since Jan. 1 and was granted a leave of absence Friday.

"I have been fortunate to have had a long career playing professional hockey for a living," Crawford said. "I wanted to continue my career, but believe I've given all I can to the game of hockey, and I have decided that it is time to retire. I would like to thank the New Jersey Devils organization for understanding and supporting my decision. I would like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks organization for giving me the chance to live my childhood dream."

NHL.com

 

with Crawford out do the Devils go back to Cory Schneider or do they ride out Wedgewood as the backup?

 

Its all about the 'wood', lol. Wedgewood or Blackwood... probably go with the hot hand, but i really dont know.

 

Dubois wants to leave Blue Jackets, Tortorella says
Center, who led Columbus in scoring last season, on 'short leash' with coach

 

"Yeah, he wants out," Tortorella told "Rothman and Ice" on 97.1 The Fan in Columbus. "He spoke to the team, as we do here. It's a little bit different than [Artemi Panarin] and [Sergei Bobrovsky] were. This is a 22-year-old kid. It doesn't happen that often, so he has been honest with the group. I wish he was a little bit more honest as far as reasons why. I still haven't really gotten to that, but I think he needs to speak on that. I won't."

 

The Hurricanes’ next two games against the Panthers will be postponed, the NHL announced on Wednesday.

A day after four Hurricanes players were added to the league’s COVID Protocol Related Absence List, the earliest they could resume play is next Tuesday against the Lightning.

From the NHL:

As an appropriate precaution, the team’s training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed for Players until further notice. The League is in the process of reviewing and revising the Hurricanes’ regular season schedule. The Hurricanes organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies.

The announcement comes one day after Tuesday’s Hurricanes game against the Predators was postponed “out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts.”

On Tuesday, Warren Foegele, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, and Teuvo Teravainen were added to the NHL’s COVID Protocol Related Absence List. Captain Jordan Staal has been on the list since Friday.

What the “COVID Protocol Related Absence List” means:
From the NHL:

Such “COVID Protocol Related Absences” can be the result of a number of factors including, among others: (1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol.

Along with the Hurricanes, COVID-19-related issues have also disrupted the seasons for the Stars and Panthers. After these postponements, Florida will have played just twice in the first two weeks of the 2020-21 NHL season, while Dallas’ season opener is scheduled for Friday against Nashville.

NBC/NHL

 

Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Samsonov of Capitals on COVID-19 protocol list
Orlov also included after hotel room gathering; team fined $100,000

Alex Ovechkin is one of four Washington Capitals players on the NHL's list of players who were unavailable to play or practice Wednesday in accordance with League's COVID-19 protocols.

Joining the 35-year-old left wing on the list were Capitals center Evgeni Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov and goalie Ilya Samsonov.

The NHL fined the Capitals $100,000 on Wednesday for player violations of the League's COVID 19 protocols which involved social interactions among team members who were in close contact and who were not wearing face coverings.

"I regret my choice to spend time together with my teammates in our hotel room and away from the locker room areas," the Capitals captain said. "I will learn from this experience."

In a statement, the Capitals revealed the incident involved players interacting in their hotel room during their season-opening four-game road trip.

"Our training staff has worked extremely hard to create a safe environment for our players and staff to be able to compete this season," the Capitals statement said. "We are disappointed by our players' choice to interact in their hotel room and outside of team approved areas. We accept the NHL's decision and once again will reiterate the COVID-19 Protocols in place to make sure the players are in full compliance moving forward."

NHL.com
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Clowns. Get it right!

 

Alright Canucks vs the Habs tonight.