Oilers place captain McDavid in COVID-19 protocol ahead of game with Maple Leafs

TORONTO – The Oilers announced that captain Connor McDavid, forward Derek Ryan and defenceman Tyson Barrie have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol hours before Edmonton was scheduled to face the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

McDavid and Ryan were held out of practice Tuesday after returning positive tests as the team awaited results of further testing to determine their status for Wednesday’s game.

McDavid had tested negative on Monday before playing in Edmonton’s 4-1 loss against the Rangers in New York.

The Oilers also placed forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on injured reserve. Nugent-Hopkins had been out day-to-day since Saturday with an undisclosed injury.

The Oilers also announced forward Zack Kassian has cleared COVID-19 protocols and goaltender Ilya Konovalov has been loaned to the team’s taxi squad.

Goaltender Mike Smith is set to return from an undisclosed injury to start.

Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews told reporters he planned on playing in Wednesday’s game after participating in practice. Matthews had been held out of Toronto’s previous two practices for precautionary reasons after testing positive for COVID-19 on a rapid antigen test on Monday, then negative on a PCR test Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 5, 2022.