Canucks forward Adam Gaudette leaves practice after testing positive for COVID-19

Vancouver Canucks forward Adam Gaudette was pulled from practice Tuesday after testing positive for COVID-19. 

Coach Travis Green said the result came back midway through the session. 

“Adam Gaudette had a positive test come in this morning, a COVID test, and we’re following NHL protocol and he left the ice,” he said. 

The league’s rules require players and staff to be tested daily and any time an individual’s initial test comes back positive, the lab does a second test on the initial sample. 

If the second test is negative, a second sample is collected. If that second sample returns a positive result, it is considered to be a “confirmed positive.”

The league requires individuals who test positive to self isolate for 10 days, and for close contacts to self isolate for 14 days.

Gaudette, 24, has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 33 games for Vancouver this season.

The Canucks were also missing Jake Virtanen at Tuesday’s practice. Green said the right-winger “wasn’t feeling well so he stayed home.”

Vancouver (16-18-3) is scheduled to host the Calgary Flames (16-18-3) on Wednesday.

The team is following the NHL’s protocols in determining next steps, Green said. 

“Our players get tested every day. Obviously we were tested this morning and we’ll see how those results come back when we get them back,” he said. 

Vancouver forward J.T. Miller and defenceman Jordie Benn missed multiple games in January after being placed on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list. 

A player on the list has not necessarily tested positive.

The Montreal Canadiens had four games postponed last week when forwards Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Armia were added to the list. 

Kotkaniemi was removed from the list ahead of the Canadiens’ tilt with the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday, but Armia remained.

Any COVID-related absences would magnify an injury crunch for the Canucks. 

Vancouver is still without star centre Elias Pettersson, who hasn’t played since March 2. Green said Tuesday that Pettersson’s undisclosed injury — reported to be his wrist — was worse than originally thought and he’s expected to miss “a few more games, at least.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 30, 2021. 

The Canadian Press