NHL extends self-quarantine period for players, staff to April 15

(SPORTSNET) — The NHL is extending a self-quarantine period for all players and team staff to at least April 15.

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This is the second time the period has been extended since the league shutdown on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, unless there’s a huge flattening of the curve with COVID-19 in the next 10 days or so, that self-quarantine period will likely be extended by the NHL again.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 31, 2020

On March 16, the NHL sent out a memo permitting players to return to their off-season homes and self-quarantine, sending players back and across the Canada-U.S. border. The original deadline for the self-quarantine period was March 27, but that has since been extended first to April 6 and now April 15.

The NHL added in the March 16 memo that once the self-quarantine period is lifted, the league will allow small groups of people to begin returning to team facilities. Until then players have been instructed to stay home and isolate with their families.

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So far four NHL players, two on the Ottawa Senators and two on the Colorado Avalanche, are known to have tested positive for COVID-19. While the names of the players have not been released, Senators forward Brady Tkachuk said Monday that his teammates are “doing well.”