The NHL announced on Tuesday that 10 games have been postponed, one due to COVID-19 (Detroit Red Wings at New York Islanders originally scheduled for Wednesday) and nine due to border issues (including the Washington Capitals’ game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Tuesday).
The league did this because all Canadian teams have cut down their attendance (if not, banned it) and the NHL can make up the revenue if some games are played later this season.
The Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers played in front of an empty crowd at Bell Centre on December 16 after local health authorities requested that they do so.
In addition to the Capitals-Canadiens game next week, the following games have been postponed:
Friday, Dec. 31
Pittsburgh @ Ottawa
Winnipeg @ Calgary
Monday, Jan. 3
Carolina @ Toronto
Thursday, Jan. 6
Toronto @ Montreal
Saturday, Jan. 8
Buffalo @ Montreal
Seattle @ Winnipeg
Monday, Jan. 10
Columbus @ Montreal
Minnesota @ Winnipeg
Make-up dates for the games have yet to be established.
As well, the Boston-Montreal game on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at Bell Centre will now be played at TD Garden in Boston, MA. A make-up date for the Montreal Canadiens’ home game against the Boston Bruins will be announced at a later date.
The NHL also needs to reschedule a visit to Philadelphia (were scheduled to play the Flyers on December 21) and Long Island (New York Islanders on December 23) for the Capitals. The league pulled out of the 2022 Winter Olympics to open up room to reschedule games that have been postponed.
The Capitals are not scheduled to play another game across the border again until March 8 at the Calgary Flames.
Hearing some Canadian teams’ home games in early January will be postponed pending schedule shuffling. As expected, NHL wants to protect revenues as much as possible while there are crowd limits.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 28, 2021
By Harrison Brown