Vancouver Canucks face another fallout as Friday and Saturday games have been postponed.
The Vancouver Canucks' season has been delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that has devastated the club.
The NHL announced that Friday's game in Vancouver against the Edmonton Oilers, and Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, have been postponed.
The league said in a statement, "The decision to extend the time until the team resumes play was taken to provide club personnel and players with extra time for recovery and training, following the recent COVID outbreak.”
"With feedback from the League's, NHLPA's, and club's medical organizations, the NHL made this decision."
The news comes just one day after forward J.T. Miller challenged the logic of pressuring the players to end the season on a tight schedule.
"Coming back to play would be difficult and dangerous if you ask me. I'm sure there are others who would agree with me on this "Miller stated.
Given that 22 players had contracted COVID-19 and none had played in three weeks, Vancouver's return-to-game schedule seemed unnecessarily optimistic from the outset.
Travis Green, the head coach, is also recovering from the infection.
Vancouver played 19 games in 31 nights in the first revised season, which was announced this past weekend.
Concerns about player health and safety, as well as whether the Canucks would be able to field a semblance of an NHL hockey team by Friday, rose with each passing day.
Thursday morning, the team held its first official practice in two weeks, but only after the rink was closed to the media.
Players from the Vancouver Canucks met with members from the NHL Players' Association on Wednesday night to address their issues.
There has been no announcement of a new timetable till now.
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