NHL coronavirus updates: Six Dallas Stars players, two staff test positive; Blue Jackets close facility
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The reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Stars will have to wait even longer to start the 2021 season after six players and two staff members have recently tested positive for the coronavirus, the league announced Friday.
The Stars’ facility has been closed and will remain closed for “several days” as further daily testing and contact tracing is conducted, the league said. Additionally, the Stars will not open the season on Jan. 14 against the Florida Panthers as scheduled, and the expectation is that their season will begin until Jan. 19 at the earliest.
“The Stars 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, state and national agencies,” the league said in its statement.
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The Columbus Blue Jackets announced they held a number of players out of Friday’s practice and canceled an afternoon practice for another group of players in accordance with the league’s NHL COVID-19 protocols.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL coronavirus updates: Six Dallas Stars players, two staff test positive; Blue Jackets close facility