One Sharks player exits NHL COVID protocol, but another is added

SAN JOSE – Defenseman Brent Burns exited the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol as expected Monday but the Sharks still have the same number of players who remain unavailable.

Goalie Adin Hill was added to the league’s protocol, the Sharks announced, leaving the number of unavailable players at four. The Sharks are still without forwards Tomas Hertl and Jonathan Dahlen, who entered protocol on Dec. 21, and center Jasper Weatherby, who entered the AHL’s COVID protocol the following day.

The Sharks also announced that a still-unnamed staff member, who entered protocol with Hertl and Dahlen last week, remains away from the team.

As of early Monday afternoon, the Sharks’ game with the Arizona Coyotes at SAP Center on Tuesday was still scheduled to be played.

Hill’s absence will almost assuredly increase the workload for James Reimer, who enters Tuesday’s game with a sparkling .936 save percentage and a 1.99 goals-against average. To replace Hill on the roster, the Sharks brought up Zach Sawchenko from the Barracuda. Sawchenko has never started an NHL regular-season game.

Reimer has a 9-5-1 record with one shutout in 16 games this season. He played five straight games from Nov. 22-30, going 4-1-0 with a .924 save percentage in that time.

Asymptomatic NHL players who initially test positive for the coronavirus can leave protocol by producing a series of negative tests. Otherwise, players can exit if at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared, and at least 24 hours have passed since their last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications, and other symptoms have improved.

Starting with the game against the Coyotes, the Sharks are scheduled to play five times in the next 10 days. They host Philadelphia on Thursday, then play in Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Buffalo on Jan. 2, 4, and 6, respectively.

Please check back for updates to this developing story.