Calgary Flames defenceman Travis Hamonic won’t play in NHL’s restart

Calgary Flames defenceman Travis Hamonic has decided not to play in the NHL’s restart.

The Flames said Friday night that Hamonic has opted out of the NHL’s return-to-play program.

Players have until Monday at 5 p.m. ET to declare they are opting out following the ratification of the NHL’s return-to-play protocol on Friday night.

Hamonic, 29, had three goals and nine assists in 50 games this season.

The Flames will face the Winnipeg Jets in a best-of-five play in series starting Aug. 1 in Edmonton.

“Travis explained that due to family considerations, he has made the difficult decision not to participate in the Stanley Cup qualifier and playoffs,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said in a statement.

“While we will miss Travis in our lineup, we understand and respect his decision. Our focus remains on preparation for training camp and our upcoming series in the NHL qualifying round.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2020.