The NHL already has had to postpone over 50 games leading up to the Christmas Holiday break. Over 140 players are in COVID protocol. The league had planned to return to action, as “normal,” on December 27. That is no longer the case.
The league announced on Friday night that all games on December 27 would be postponed to accommodate teams getting proper COVID testing.
SCHEDULE UPDATE: @NHL delays return to game play by a day; games on Dec. 27 postponed.https://t.co/UX99dQ0tp1 pic.twitter.com/zZRrGjpt7L
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 24, 2021
The league originally was going to have teams return to practice on December 26, and would also resume testing for COVID on that day. But with at least 10 teams fully shut down prior to the league-wide pause, the NHL is now pushing the start of games back a full day.
The Blackhawks did not have a game scheduled for the 27th, but still have three games to make up from December. They are scheduled to host the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 28, and are scheduled to travel to Winnipeg to play the Jets on the 29th.