Blackhawks forward Alex DeBrincat and defenseman Adam Boqvist were added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list late Monday, according to a team announcement. It means that both players will be unavailable to travel, practice or play games until they have cleared protocols.
According to the team statement, there are several factors that can land a player on this list:
- an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed
- mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals
- required quarantine as a high-risk close contact
- isolation based on confirmed positive test result. /
That these two were placed on this list simultaneously should come as little surprise, as NHL.com correspondent (and former SCH site manager) Brandon Cain pointed out that the two live together.
As detailed above, this news does not necessarily confirm that either player has tested positive for the coronavirus. However, this likely means that both DeBrincat and Boqvist will be unavailable for Chicago’s next two games on the road in Nashville on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Through six games this season, DeBrincat is second on the team with six points (two goals, four assists) while averaging 18:19 of ice time per game. Boqvist has three assists with an average ice time of 15:59.
Chicago’s last two games against Detroit were against an opponent that had five players absent while being on the COVID-19 Protocol list: defenseman Jon Merrill and forwards Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri, Sam Gagner and Filip Zadina. No new Red Wings were added to the list on Monday.
These are the first two players on the Blackhawks’ roster to be added to the COVID-19 list this season.