Despite the NHL now on their holiday break, COVID concerns around the league should not be forgotten. Players that enter the protocol in the coming days will likely be unavailable when their teams return to action, given the usual 10-day isolation period. For the Carolina Hurricanes, that means their starting goaltender might be missing when things start up again next week. Frederik Andersen has been placed in the COVID protocol.
Andersen, 32, has been a true Vezina candidate this season for the Hurricanes, posting a .930 save percentage in 21 games. His 1.93 goals-against average is the best in the league, and his numbers across the board are the best of his career. Given the fact that Antti Raanta hasn’t been totally healthy, Andersen’s ability to carry the load for Carolina has been extremely important.
The Hurricanes are set to resume action on Dec. 27, but now have nine players in the protocol. Andersen joins Stefan Noesen, Andrei Svechnikov, Steven Lorentz, Jordan Staal, Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho, Brendan Smith and Ian Cole on the outside looking in, though some of those players will be eligible to return before the team’s next game.
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