With seven players currently in league protocols due to COVID, the NHL has officially postponed the New York Islanders next two games.
Originally scheduled to take on the Rangers on Sunday and the Flyers on Tuesday, the team will now be off until Dec 2nd when they play host to the San Jose Sharks. The Islanders become the 2nd team to have games postponed this season due to COVID, joining the Ottawa Senators who had 3 games rescheduled earlier this year.
In their last game, a 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York was without the services of Anders Lee, Kieffer Bellows, Adam Pelech, Ross Johnston, Andy Greene and Zdeno Chara. Forward Josh Bailey was removed from protocol Friday but ultimately did not suit up. Sources indicate another Islanders player entered the protocol today as well, prompting the league to finally pull the plug.
Last year the league was forced to reschedule 55 games because of COVID outbreaks. The Islanders will now rest and recuperate after a disastrous road trip which saw them drop 8 games in a row. New York currently sits in last place in the Metropolitan division with a 5-10-2 record. They’re a distant 19pts behind division leading Carolina, and sit in 29th overall in the league.
NHL schedule makers have yet to announce new dates for the postponed Islanders games.