Bruins add three players, one staff member to NHL protocol list

This just in, the Boston Bruins have added three players and one staff member to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list. Joining captain Patrice Bergeron in quarantine are forwards Trent Frederic and Anton Blidh, goaltender Jeremy Swayman and an unnamed staff member.

BOSTON - The Boston Bruins announced today, December 16, that Anton Blidh , Trent Frederic , and Jeremy Swayman have been placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. 

One member of the Bruins team staff has also been placed in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. 

As a result, the team has called up goaltender Kyle Keyser and forward Jesper Froden from the AHL's Providence Bruins.

This is obviously concerning news, not only for the Bruins but for the league as a whole. There are nearly 30 players on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list in quarantine with the number rising each and every day. The Calgary Flames alone account for nearly half of the league's infected players. As a result, their season has been put on pause until the players fully recover. 

The Carolina Hurricanes will play tonight's match against the Detroit Red Wings with just 16 skaters due to having six players in quarantine.

In Ontario, the provincial government has limited attendance at Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators games to just 50% for at least the next three weeks while they try to limit the spread of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19. 

The NHL has announced enhanced protocols into the New Year, but it'll be interesting to see how things play out over the course of this week and if any further shut downs or restrictions are imposed.