Dan Vladar Latest Calgary Flame To Test Positive

Just when you thought it was safe to check the Flames Twitter account, they announced today that Dan Vladar has entered the NHL's Covid Protocol.

The Flames backup goaltender was one of a few remaining Flames players who hadn't tested positive, but that is no longer the case. With Vladar testing positive that leaves only Matthew Tkachuk, Michael Stone and Blake Coleman as the three remaining Flames players to not have entered the league's Covid Protocol.

Currently Calgary has three coaches, 20 players and 10 other members of the organization/support staff in Protocol for having tested positive.

The earliest the Flames could potentially return to the ice would be December 27th against Edmonton as the league has shut everyone down until that date. What comes next is, will the Flames have enough players to ice a team at that date and will the Oilers as well?

Calgary started down the outbreak road on December 13th when six players and a trainer all tested positive and it snowballed from there. There was some hope the rest of the Flames roster dodged the Covid bullet as no one had tested positive in four days with Mikael Backlund being the last, but that hope ended today with Vladar's positive test.

by Mark Parkinson