Lucas Wallmark is the 3rd Chicago Blackhawk added to NHL’s COVID-19 list this week
Forward Lucas Wallmark became the third Chicago Blackhawks skater to be placed on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.
It means the veteran forward, who joined the Hawks this season, can’t practice, play or travel with the team until he’s removed from the list.
On Monday, defenseman Adam Boqvist and Alex DeBrincat were added to the list.
The league doesn’t reveal details about why individual players are placed in protocol, but reasons can include an initial positive test that remains unconfirmed, mandatory isolation for someone’s who’s symptomatic, quarantine because of high-risk close contact, isolation based on a confirmed positive test result or quarantine for travel.
Coach Jeremy Colliton, who wasn’t available to media after Wallmark’s status was released Wednesday, suggested that Boqvist and DeBrincat could miss two weeks or longer.
Wallmark played in the first five games this season but was benched for the last two in favor of Carl Soderberg, who missed the early part of the season because of visa issues.
Hawks teammates talked about the seeming inevitability of the coronavirus affecting their roster.
“In this league, it’s the next man up, whether it’s injuries, COVID protocol, whatever it is,” Ryan Carpenter said Tuesday. “We have enough guys and enough depth to step up. So give someone else an opportunity to step up and fill the role.
“... It’s tough, the uncertainty of the situation, but we’re dealing it.”
The league’s list is fluid as players go on and come off the list, and the latest tally included 21 players from seven teams.
Which goaltender deserves the starting job? Join our Blackhawks Fans group and sound off.
Sign up for our Blackhawks alerts on your phone, desktop and inbox to stay current with the latest news.
