‘Botched.’ What Hurricanes coach said about Flyers game postponement, COVID in NHL
For the second time this week, the Carolina Hurricanes practiced Wednesday at the Wake Competition Center.
One difference: The Canes did not have a charter flight to a city where there would be no game.
Another difference: Defenseman Jaccob Slavin was not at the practice after entering the NHL COVID protocol.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour remains miffed over the late postponement of the road game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Canes flew into Philly on Monday afternoon after practice at WCC only to have the NHL announce at 9:30 p.m. that the Tuesday game was postponed because of COVID issues with the Flyers.
“Is it hard to understand? Yes that is, definitely,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday.
Brind’Amour said he was given no further explanation on the NHL decision and Carolina’s seventh postponement this season. He said he was told the return flight Tuesday could not leave until 3 p.m. but that the Canes would be allowed to practice at the Wells Fargo Center.
“We woke up (Tuesday) and was told, ‘Well, there’s a basketball court on there,’ ” he said. “It was just botched all the way around. But it is what it is. We understand these are tough times to navigate through and it doesn’t always work out.”
Adding to Brind’Amour’s stress level is having Slavin, his best defenseman, go into the COVID protocol. Slavin was said to have driven a rental car back to Raleigh to complete his quarantine.
“It’s getting everybody. It’s just a matter of time,” Brind’Amour said of COVID-19 and the highly contagious omicron variant. “It’s interesting how we look at this now. Used to be you were really concerned like, ‘OK, how is it going to affect people now.’ Meaning our guys. I understand it’s different for other people.
“Now we’re kind of like it’s picking everybody off and once we get through it we can take a sigh of relief. Until then, every day we test and it’s, ‘OK, who’s going next?’ Interesting times but we’re getting through it.”
Slavin’s the anchor on the back end and his absence caused a makeover of the defensive pairs Wednesday. Tony DeAngelo, who has been partnered with Slavin, was paired with Brady Skjei. Ian Cole was with Brett Pesce and Brendan Smith with Ethan Bear.
Smith has not played since Dec. 18 against the Los Angeles Kings but will be in the lineup Thursday for the home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rookie forward Seth Jarvis was not at practice Wednesday. Jarvis, 19, was given a day off to rest and his “maintenance day” caused Brind’Amour to grin and say, “The game has changed, for sure.”
Brind’Amour was named Tuesday as one of the four coaches selected for the 2022 NHL All-Star Games and called it a reflection of the team’s success — Carolina (24-7-2) has the best points percentage in the Metropolitan Division.
“It’s good to get recognized that way, that our team is at least up there with the other good teams in the league,” he said.
Goalie Jack LaFontaine, who left the University of Minnesota mid-season to sign an entry-level contract Sunday with Carolina, put in his first practice. The Canes had three goalies on the ice with Frederik Andersen, Alex Lyon and LaFontaine — Antti Raanta remains out with an upper-body injury.
“Day 1 was great,” LaFontaine said. “I got in last night and got all settled. The guys obviously were unbelievable. It was fun to get out there. I think hockey is probably the easiest part of this process right now. It was nice and relaxing to get back out there and just feel the pace and feel some shots.”
LaFontaine, a Mississauga, Ontario, native, has been assigned to the Canes’ taxi squad and is awaiting the completion of his work visa that would allow him to play.
“When he’s available, then he gets in the conversation,” Brind’Amour said.
Of note
Canes play-by-play announcer Mike Maniscalco has entered the COVID protocol, the team said Wednesday, and will miss the next three games. The game broadcast will be handled by Tripp Tracy and Shane Willis.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets
When: Thursday, 7 p.m.
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh.
TV/Radio: ESPN+, Hulu; WCMC-99.9 FM
This story was originally published January 12, 2022 at 2:54 PM with the headline "‘Botched.’ What Hurricanes coach said about Flyers game postponement, COVID in NHL."
