By Canadian Press

NHL shuts down Canadiens, Blue Jackets due to COVID-19 concerns

Dec 20, 2021 | 10:26 AM

The NHL has shut down the Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets through its holiday break because of COVID-19.

The league said in a statement today the move was made “due to concern with the number of positive cases within the last several days as well concern for continued COVID spread.”

The NHL has now sidelined a total of nine teams because of the pandemic’s latest wave fuelled by the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

With more than 130 players and team staff currently in COVID-19 protocol, the league has been forced to postpone 42 games so far this season, with 37 coming since last Monday.

The Canadiens announced yesterday they were shutting down until Dec. 26 as a preventative measure. Montreal had already seen its games postponed until after Christmas after the NHL announced a pause to cross-border travel.

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Columbus was supposed to play in Buffalo tonight and then host the Sabres on Thursday, but both games have now been scratched.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2020.

The Canadian Press