Photo: TSN

According to Samantha Pell of the Washington Post, Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov was added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old was scratched for the team’s 5-3 win over the New York Rangers on Monday due to disciplinary reasons.

Goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who was also scratched on Monday for disciplinary reasons, is not on the COVID-19 protocol list, but because he is technically on the team’s taxi squad right now, it may not require reporting.

Why isn’t Ilya Samsonov listed on NHL COVID protocol along with Kuznetsov, you ask? Well, we don’t know for sure, but he is technically on Capitals taxi squad right now, and taxi squad players don’t have to be listed publicly.

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) May 4, 2021

Both were placed on the list in January for nearly a month. Samsonov tested positive for COVID-19 while Kuznetsov, who has recorded nine goals, 29 points, and a +7 rating in 41 games this season, was feeling symptoms but it is unclear if he tested positive in January.

Per the NHL’s press release, the reason a player is listed as “unavailable” due to COVID protocols includes: (1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons.

The Capitals, who are currently tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in the East Division with a game in hand, visit the Rangers at Madison Square Garden again on Wednesday (7 PM ET, NBCSN nationally, NBC Sports Washington locally).

By Harrison Brown