NHL’s Senators have three games postponed amid COVID-19 outbreak

The NHL postponed three Ottawa Senators games on Monday amid an outbreak of COVID-19 within the team. 

Ten Senators players are currently in the league’s COVID-19 protocol list, the NHL said in its statement.

“As an appropriate precaution, the team’s training facilities have been closed, effective immediately, and will remain closed for Players until further notice. The League is in the process of reviewing and revising the Senators’ regular season schedule,” the NHL said. 

“The Senators organization has, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, provincial and national agencies,” it added.

SCHEDULE UPDATE: @Senators games postponed at least through Nov. 20. https://t.co/bJpC88cb5F pic.twitter.com/sWwojm1W1h

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 15, 2021

The NHL is the first North American major professional sports league to be forced to reschedule games this fall due to COVID-19.  

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association have until Jan. 10 to withdraw from the Beijing Winter Olympics if the ongoing pandemic forces the cancellation of many games and makes a three-week break in February impractical, The Associated Press reported.

The Senators’ contests against the New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators and New York Rangers this week were postponed as a result of the outbreak.

Senators forward Drake Batherson and an assistant coach were the latest members to join the COVID-19 protocol list as the club canceled practice on Monday in an attempt to contain the outbreak, according to the AP. 

“The health and safety of the local community, the venue’s patrons and the organization’s staff and players is Senators Sports & Entertainment’s highest priority,” the team said in a statement.