COLUMBUS, Ohio — The NHL announced Monday that the Columbus Blue Jackets will be shut down through Christmas due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Blue Jackets organization.


What You Need To Know

  • The next two Columbus Blue Jackets games have been postponed due to COVID-19 surge

  • The Blue Jackets announced Sunday that three players tested for the virus

  • Four out of five NHL games scheduled for Monday have been postponed due to the virus

  • The Blue Jackets are next scheduled to play on Dec. 27 against the Toronto Maple Leafs

The announcement resulted in the postponement of two games versus the Buffalo Sabres. The Blue Jackets were slated to visit Buffalo on Monday and then host the Sabres on Thursday. 

The NHL also canceled Montreal Canadiens activities through Christmas, the league announced Monday.

“The Blue Jackets and Canadiens have followed, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of their Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state/provincial and federal agencies,” the NHL said in a statement. 

On Sunday, the Blue Jackets announced that three players — forwards Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic and defender Gabriel Carlsson — were placed on COVID-19 protocol. The team subsequently canceled Sunday’s practice at Nationwide Arena. 

The team had its game on Saturday postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Calgary Flames organization. 

The NHL announced on Sunday that games between American and Canadian clubs would be postponed through Christmas due to the rise in COVID-19 cases throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

With COVID-19 raising havoc in the NHL and professional and collegiate sports, four of five NHL games scheduled for Monday have been postponed.