The Chicago Blackhawks have been dealing with several COVID-related absences lately, and you can add a new pair of names to that list. Jonathan Toews and Henrik Borgstrom will not practice Tuesday as they have been added to the protocol. Patrick Kane, Ryan Carpenter, and Erik Gustafsson had previously missed practice, and while the latter two were cleared before Sunday night’s game, Riley Stillman, Jujhar Khaira and several assistant coaches all joined Kane.
Toews and Borgstrom's addition to protocol doesn't mean they have tested positive for coronavirus. Included in the NHL’s list of possible reasons for someone being on the COVID Protocol Related Absences list are the following:
(1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol.
Toews and Borgstrom will not be able to participate in practice Tuesday, but as we’ve seen several times this season already, there’s at least the potential of their return before Wednesday’s game if their test results come back negative. For now, Kane, Toews, Borgstrom, Stillman and Khaira are unavailable to head coach Jeremy Colliton as they prepare for Wednesday's meeting with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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