Maple Leafs' John Tavares, Alexander Kerfoot placed in COVID protocol

The Toronto Maple Leafs had yet to be severely impacted by the spread of COVID around the league, but that changed Friday. John Tavares and Alexander Kerfoot were placed in the COVID protocol, while the team canceled practice for precautionary reasons. All players and traveling staff will undergo further testing Firday.

Notably, both players took part in Tuesday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, a team dealing with its own outbreak after a cluster of games with the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes last weekend. Toronto was set to take on the Flames Thursday night before Calgary’s season was put on hold and is scheduled to play against the Vancouver Canucks Saturday.

If the positive tests are limited at two, the Maple Leafs will likely continue to move forward with their schedule. The team received Jason Spezza back as an eligible replacement after his suspension was reduced Friday and is carrying an extra forward already. The team has one more game on the road trip–in Seattle on Sunday–before returning home for one afternoon match before the Christmas break. If Tavares and Kerfoot tested positive and are experiencing any symptoms, they’ll miss all of those games.