Maple Leafs Lose Two Players to COVID-19 Protocols

The names just keep rolling in and this time around it's the Toronto Maple Leafs who are dealing with COVID-19. Both John Tavares and Alexander Kerfoot have been placed in protocol and are likely out for Saturday's game against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Leafs were one of the only teams who haven't had any players miss time and now that's changed. This week has been absolutely horrible for outbreaks and the league is contemplating their options at the moment. Some talks have suggested a pause could be coming to the entire league.

Forwards Alexander Kerfoot and John Tavares have been placed into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

For precautionary reasons, today’s practice in Vancouver has been cancelled.https://t.co/rP27ClVJVN

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) December 17, 2021

The Maple Leafs received some news already on Friday and that was related to Jason Spezza's availability. He had his suspension reduced from six to four games and now is returning on Saturday night. Just in time to get bumped up the lineup and will now likely find himself in the middle on the team's second line with William Nylander and likely Nick Ritchie.

We'll certainly have more information as it comes but it appears the Maple Leafs will be at least two players short of their regular lineup against the streaking Canucks. So far games in Montreal, Minnesota and Tampa Bay have been postponed so we'll have to wait and see if that's the case in Vancouver.

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