Blackhawks' Brandon Hagel placed in COVID protocol

The Chicago Blackhawks will not have Brandon Hagel available to them Friday. The young forward has been placed in the league’s COVID protocol. His name will be added to the list that comes out Friday, but no specific details on his absence have been (or likely will be) revealed.

It is important to note that entering the protocol does not mean that a player has tested positive for coronavirus or even that he has been confirmed as a close contact.

Hagel, 22, has played in 35 games for the Blackhawks this season, scoring 14 points in his first taste of full-time action. Originally a sixth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, he never signed with them and instead inked his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks in 2018. Now just a few years later he has become an important depth piece for Chicago, one the team will be without for now.

It is not clear how long Hagel will be out, but notably, he did play in Thursday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Blackhawks are back in action Saturday afternoon.