The number of Calgary Flames entering the National Hockey League’s COVID-19 protocol continues to grow.
On Thursday morning, the Flames announced on Twitter that Dillon Dube, Oliver Kylington and one member of the support staff have entered the NHL’s COVID protocol.
Peter Hanlon with the Calgary Flames said the team has some confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
“The sequencing process at the lab for each case takes several days to confirm the strain. It’s reasonable to assume that others are Omicron as well but we can’t 100 per cent confirm prior to the results at the conclusion of each case in the lab process,” Hanlon said in an email to Global News.
“We are doing well.”
This brings the total number of players in COVID protocol to 18. The Flames carry 25 on their roster.
All of the Flames games through Saturday have been postponed amid the outbreak.
In a statement Wednesday, the NHL said the team’s training facilities will remain closed until further notice.
On Wednesday morning, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was asked whether the increase in COVID-19 cases amongst NHL teams in the province was reason for his government to reduce spectator capacity at arenas.
“We haven’t had that conversation,” Kenney said.
“The NHL and other large events have been operating over the past three months within the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) as numbers have continued to decline sharply for COVID in Alberta. That would strongly suggest that the Restrictions Exemption Program has been working.
“We’ll always analyze emerging data and be happy to have a discussion with the team management and the NHL,” the premier said.
Later Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the province is capping capacity at 50 per cent for indoor venues with capacity greater than 1,000 people.
That affects the Toronto Maple Leafs and Raptors, the Ottawa Senators, and Ontario Hockey League teams, among other teams and events.
Several other NHL players have entered the league’s COVID-19 protocol this week, including Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan McLeod. Oilers head coach Dave Tippett was also placed in the league’s COVID protocol earlier this week.
— with files from Adam Toy, Global News and The Canadian Press
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