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Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly enters NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

Dec 23, 2021 | 8:25 AM

TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Thursday that defenceman Morgan Rielly and a staff member have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

The Maple Leafs now have a total of 12 players — including captain John Tavares and goaltender Jack Campbell — in isolation along with head coach Sheldon Keefe, two assistants, and four other members of the organization.

The NHL shut down for its annual Christmas break after Tuesday night’s lone remaining game. Four contests originally scheduled for Wednesday and 14 for Thursday are among the 45 that have been postponed since Dec. 13 due to pandemic-related concerns.

The league is scheduled to resume play with 14 games on Monday, including Toronto at Columbus, although more postponements are possible with a number of clubs dealing with multiple COVID-19 cases.