The Minnesota Wild placed five players on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list on Wednesday and will now have their games postponed through Feb.9.
According to a statement by the NHL, Nick Bjugstad, Marcus Johansson, Joel Eriksson Ek, Jared Spurgeon and Nick Bonino have all been placed into the league’s protocol. With Marcus Foligno testing positive earlier in the week, the Wild have six total playes in the protocol.
Colorado’s Tyson Jost, who has played against the Wild as part of a four-game, home-and-home series this week, was also placed into the protocol.
In response to the moves, the NHL has placed the Wild on pause, postponing four games including Thursday night’s game in Colorado, this weekend’s two game series with the Arizona Coyotes and the series opener against the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9.
The Wild were playing short handed before the outbreak as Matt Dumba, Mats Zuccarello and Alex Stalock have all missed time due to injury and Kevin Fiala served a three-game suspension for a boarding penalty on Jan. 27 against Los Angeles.
According to The Athletic’s Michael Russo, all six players have been isolated from the team and will return to Minnesota on a medical jet.
