Blue Jackets, Canadiens shut down through holiday break due to COVID-19

NEW YORK - The National Hockey League announced today that, due to concern with the number of positive cases within the last several days as well concern for continued COVID spread, the Columbus Blue Jackets' games will be postponed at least through the scheduled completion of the League's Holiday Break in the schedule on Dec. 26. Additionally, the Montreal Canadiens will pause team activities at least through Dec. 26. The decision was made by the NHL's, the NHLPA's and the Club medical groups.

A decision on when each team's training facilities will re-open will be made by the League and the NHLPA in the coming days. The League is in the process of reviewing and revising the regular season schedule.

The Blue Jackets were scheduled to play tonight at Buffalo and Thursday at home vs. Buffalo, while the Canadiens' remaining scheduled games before the Holiday Break, tonight at NY Islanders, Dec. 22 at NY Rangers and Dec. 23 at New Jersey, had been postponed previously.

The Blue Jackets and Canadiens have followed, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of their Players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state/provincial and federal agencies.