CALGARY — The Calgary Flames announced centre Mikael Backlund and another member of the team's support staff have entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocol Friday, bringing the number of people sidelined in the organization to 32.
A total of 19 players and 13 club employees are currently in isolation for a team that's been hit hard by a coronavirus outbreak.
Calgary had already seen four games postponed through Saturday. The league announced Friday it was also postponing Calgary's Dec. 21 game versus Anaheim and Dec. 23 game versus Seattle.
The Flames announced Wednesday that 17 members of the organization had been placed in protocol, including head coach Darryl Sutter, star winger Johnny Gaudreau and No. 1 goalie Jacob Markstrom.
The Edmonton Oilers, meanwhile, added forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins into protocol, where he joins head coach Dave Tippett and two teammates.
The NHL has seen a sharp rise in players entering its COVID-19 protocol in recent weeks, including a massive jump since Monday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2021.
The Canadian Press
