NHL News: Oilers Mike Smith suffers injury setback; Senators lose more players to COVID; and updated COVID list
The Daily Goal Horn
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Oilers goaltender Mike Smith has returned to Edmonton following a setback in his recovery from injury, TSN reported Thursday.
He has not played since Oct. 19 due to a lower-body injury but traveled with the team on its current five-game road trip, which ends Tuesday at Winnipeg. The setback occurred in practice.
Smith, 39, signed a two-year, $4.4 million extension in July and is 2-0-0 in three starts this season with a .920 save percentage and a 3.08 goals-against average.
He owns a 285-254-76 record with 42 shutouts, a .912 save percentage and a 2.69 GAA in 645 games over 16 seasons with Dallas, Tampa Bay, Phoenix/Arizona, Calgary and Edmonton.
The Pacific Division-leading Oilers (9-2-0) have relied primarily on Mikko Koskinen (7-1-0) in Smith’s absence. He has a 2.54 GAA and a .920 save percentage this season.
Senators add two more played to COVID list
The number of Ottawa Senators players in COVID-19 protocols climbed to eight Thursday, raising the possibility of postponements to upcoming games.
The short-handed Senators have three home games in the next four days, beginning Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings.
Goaltender Matt Murray and forward Alex Formenton entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols on Thursday.
The list also includes defensemen Josh Brown, Victor Mete and Nick Holden and forwards Connor Brown, Dylan Gambrell and Austin Watson. Associate coach Jack Capuano is also in the protocol.
According to TSN, the plan as of Thursday morning was to move forward with the game against the Kings, pending more test results. Medical officers from the NHL and NHLPA are said to be monitoring the situation.
Murray, 27, started Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Bruins in Boston and is 0-4-0 this season with a 3.10 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage.
Formenton, 22, has two goals and one assist in 12 games this season.
In related moves Thursday, the Senators recalled forward Andrew Agozzino and defensemen Lassi Thompson and Dillon Heatherington from AHL affiliate Belleville.
NHL COVID-19 List
Here is the current list of NHL Players out on COVID-19 Protocol:
- Jakob Silfverberg, ANA
- Max Domi, CBJ
- Viktor Arvidsson, LAK
- Gabriel Vilardi, LAK
- Matt Murray, OTT
- Alex Forementon, OTT
- Josh Brown, OTT
- Austin Watson, OTT
- Victor Mete, OTT
- Connor Brown, OTT
- Dylan Gambrell, OTT
- Nick Holden, OTT
- Sidney Crosby, PIT
- Brian Dumoulin, PIT
- Chad Ruhwedel, PIT
- Marcus Pettersson, PIT
- Kevin Labanc, SJS
- Timo Meier, SJS
- Erik Karlsson, SJS
- Jake Middleton, SJS
- Matt Nieto, SJS
- Radim Simek, SJS
- Marc-Edouard Vlasic, SJS
- Ville Husso, STL
- Torey Krug, STL
- Kyle Clifford, STL
- Niko Mikkola, STL
–Field Level Media