The Vancouver Canucks will have Braden Holtby in net in their first game after more than three weeks Sunday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In addition to Holtby, the team will have taxi squad defencemen Guillaume Brisebois and Jalen Chatfield in the lineup. Goaltender Michael DiPietro has been recalled from the taxi squad, suggesting he could back Holtby up in Thatcher Demko’s place.
The Canucks last played on March 24 and at the peak of their COVID-19 outbreak saw 25 players and staff test positive. The team was originally scheduled to return to play with back-to-back games Friday and Saturday against the Oilers and Maple Leafs, but after players raised concerns about their safety, the first game back was delayed until Sunday.
“There was a point where I think I was worried about our players a lot,” head coach Travis Green said Saturday. “And then I was pretty sick and worried just to get through each day. Selfishly, maybe my focus turned to myself a little bit, and getting a little bit worried. But I think when you play on a team everyone’s worried about everyone.
“We’ve got a few guys that are still out that you really feel for because I have a bit of an idea of how they’re feeling. You know when you coach a team and you care about your players so much, it’s almost like your kids. You want to make them feel better, and you can’t.”
As of Saturday, Nate Schmidt and Jake Virtanen were the only Canucks players still in COVID-19 protocol.
You can watch the Canucks play the Maple Leafs in a special Sunday edition of Hockey Night in Canada beginning at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet.
