All Red Wings Games Postponed Through Holiday Break

Sending the Detroit Red Wings to Carolina to play a Hurricanes team ravaged by COVID-19? In retrospect, perhaps that wasn’t one of the NHL’s best decisions.

Red Wings fans will be waiting until after Christmas to see the favorite team playing another game.

The NHL offically announced several more cancellations of games on Sunday due to COVID-19. Among the games called off were those involving cross-border opposition. Also postponed was Detroit’s Tuesday game at Minnesota against the Wild.

#RedWings games will be postponed at least through the scheduled completion of the League’s Holiday Break in the schedule on Dec. 26. https://t.co/u1Zs09Q3CV

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 19, 2021

Detroit currently has nine players and three members of the club’s coaching staff in COVID-19 protocol. All but two of them have entered the protocols since Thursday’s 5-3 loss to Carolina. That was against a Hurricanes team including six players and a trainer in COVID protocol.

The Red Wings beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Saturday. They were playing minus COVID absences including goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, forwards Robby Fabbri, Michael Rasmussen, Givani Smith and Carter Rowney. Head coach Jeff Blashill and assistant coach Alex Tanguay are also in COVID-19 protocol.

COVID Comes Calling For Red Wings

“Ultimately if we have enough players and it’s deemed safe enough, we’ll keep playing,” Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said on Saturday, while admitting that he didn’t know what the parameters were in order for the team’s games to be called off.

“I really don’t know what the protocol is,” Yzerman admitted. “My understanding is the league is going on a day-to-day basis and a team-to-team basis in making a judgement call at that time of what parameters play into that decision.

“I believe the league, with their doctors and the (NHL)PA are combining to come up with the decision on whether to play or not.”

Evidently on Sunday, the NHL came to the determination that the Red Wings had crossed that threshold.

Four More Red Wings In COVID-19 Protocol

Sunday, forwards Sam Gagner, Pius Suter and Joe Veleno, along with assistant video coach Jeff Weintraub were added to COVID-19 protocol.

UPDATE: The #RedWings have placed forwards Sam Gagner, Pius Suter and Joe Veleno, along with assistant video coach Jeff Weintraub, in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 19, 2021

“We did wonder . . . if the league was going to step in,” Wings captain Dylan Larkin said.

Detroit’s Monday game at Little Caesars Arena against the Colorado Avalanche was previously called off due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the ranks of the Avalanche.

The next scheduled game for the Red Wings would be on Monday, December 27. They will be playing that contest at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers.