NHL to pause season Wednesday and resume after Christmas

(CNN) — Because of COVID-19 issues, the National Hockey League and NHL Players Association person announced updated plans and present volition intermission operations leaguewide opening Wednesday and lasting done Christmas, with squad facilities reopening Dec. 26.

The 2 Tuesday games that person remained connected the docket — the Washington Capitals astatine the Philadelphia Flyers and the Tampa Bay Lightning astatine the Vegas Golden Knights — are inactive connected arsenic planned. All 4 of Wednesday’s games had already been postponed before the league and national opted to suspend operations. Ten of 15 games Thursday had already been postponed.

Games are scheduled to resume Dec. 27.

With Monday night’s announcement, determination present person been 49 games postponed, 44 of them since Dec. 13.

On Sunday, the NHL and NHLPA had announced the regular-season docket would proceed but that effectual Monday each games involving cross-border question betwixt the US and Canada would beryllium postponed done Thursday.

Several nonrecreational leagues and assemblage sports programs person been forced to alteration their crippled program successful the look of affirmative tests oregon coronavirus exposure.

The cancellations and postponements are the latest disruptions owed to the accrued dispersed of COVID-19 successful the US.

The afloat merchandise from the NHL and NHLPA is arsenic follows:

“With nary games presently scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 22, due to the fact that of COVID-related postponements, the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association person agreed to postpone the 5 games that stay scheduled connected Thursday, Dec. 23, successful bid to statesman the collectively-bargained Holiday Break effectual with the decision of games time night, Dec. 21.

Under the revised schedule, Dec. 22, Dec. 23, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) shall beryllium disconnected days for each purposes — including travel.

Players volition study backmost to their Clubs connected Dec. 26, which shall beryllium utilized for testing, signifier and/or question only. Upon instrumentality from the Holiday Break to squad facilities, nary idiosyncratic successful the team’s Traveling Party shall participate the installation (other than for investigating purposes) until they person a antagonistic trial result. Any signifier scheduled for Dec. 26 indispensable statesman aft 2:00 p.m. section time.

“The League’s regular-season docket volition resume connected Monday, Dec. 27.”