NHL postpones Ottawa Senators-Seattle Kraken game due to COVID-19

Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The NHL on Monday postponed Thursday's game between the Ottawa Senators and Seattle Kraken because of COVID-19 issues with the Senators.

It marks the 92nd postponement for the NHL this season due to coronavirus-related reasons. Several of those postponements are connected to attendance and travel restrictions in Canada.

The Senators currently have nine players, including defenseman Thomas Chabot, in COVID-19 protocols along with assistant coach Bob Jones, who was added to the protocol Monday.

Also Monday, the Buffalo Sabres added forward Kyle Okposo and defenseman Casey Fitzgerald to the league's COVID-19 protocols. The pair joins four players, including center Dylan Cozens, on the list.

The Sabres have been off since their 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Buffalo is off until Thursday, when it hosts the San Jose Sharks.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars removed 10 players from the COVID-19 list and appear close to resuming play Thursday. The team hasn't played since Dec. 20 due to their outbreak and other scheduling issues.

Of the NHL's 92 postponements this season, 87 have come since the beginning of December.