NHL News: Brad Larsen enters COVID protocol, Rangers and Hurricanes make post deadline trade
Anthony Scultore
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Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Brad Larsen and assistant coach Steve McCarthy entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol on Tuesday.
Associate coach Pascal Vincent will lead the team in Larsen’s absence, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced.
The Blue Jackets, who have lost three straight games (0-1-2), host the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.
Larsen, 44, has guided Columbus to a 32-29-5 record in his first year at the helm. The Blue Jackets entered Tuesday 15 points behind the Washington Capitals for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, with 16 games remaining.
Rangers and Hurricanes post deadline trade
The New York Rangers acquired former second-round draft pick Maxim Letunov on Monday, sending Tarmo Reunanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Letunov, 26, played in three NHL games in 2019-20 with the San Jose Sharks. The forward scored a goal in his short stay. He was the 52nd overall draft pick by the St. Louis Blues in 2014.
Letunov also played three season with the University of Connecticut where he registered 35 goals, 60 assists, for 95 points in 105 games the release states. He is was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 2014 NHL Draft (2nd round, 52 overall).
Reunanen, 24, was drafted by the Rangers in the 4th round of the 2016 Draft. Last season, he played in 4 games and picked up an assist. The lefty looked good playing both sides but had a lot of work to do in order to climb the depth charts.
Both players are eligible to play for the team’s respective AHL clubs but can’t be called up to the NHL this season.
–Field Level Media contributed to this report.