Mikael Backlund Is Latest Calgary Flame In Covid Protocol

Another Flames player has entered the NHL's Covid Protocol and that is Mikael Backlund.

With Backlund now testing positive the only player is not in Covid Protocol for Calgary are Matthew Tkachuk, Dan Vladar, Blake Coleman and Michael Stone. It also puts the total number of people within the organization who have tested positive up to 32. With the way things have gone this week and the daily update of players entering the league's Covid Protocol, it wouldn't be shocking to find the rest of those players listed in the next couple of days.

The Flames return to play date was supposed to be December 18th, but as we've mentioned in prior articles, that feels like an unlikely scenario.

So far this week the Flames have missed games against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Nashville Predators, the Toronto Maple Leafs and will miss Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The next game that the Flames could potentially return to would be December 23rd against the Anaheim Ducks before they pause for the Christmas break and return on December 27th against the Edmonton Oilers. Even those two scenarios seem unlikely at this point as well.

Joining Backlund in today's updates was another member of the Flames support staff. That person's name was not released.

by Mark Parkinson