Habs lose 2 players to COVID protocol, Rangers lose 1.

The National Hockey League's COVID protocols have struck again and this time 3 players will be sidelined as a result.

The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reported on Monday that two members of the Montreal Canadiens roster had been placed into the NHL covid protocols, with those players being forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi and forward Joel Armia. This could actually prove to be quite the headache for both Habs general manager Marc Bergevin and head coach Dominique Ducharme given that the team also announced today that forward Tyler Toffoli would be out for the majority of this week, at least, due to injury. 

That leaves quite a few gaps in the team's forward group that need to be patched up, and it will be interesting to see how the team reacts.

The Habs were not the only team negatively impacted by today's news either. Pagnotta also reported that New York Rangers center Brett Howden was also sidelined as a result of the COVID protocol, leaving the Rangers without a player that has already made 29 appearances for them this season.

There was one bit of good COVID related news on Monday from the NHL, and that is in the case of the St. Louis Blues. Blues forward Zach Sanford was currently sidelined as a result of the protocols, but his name was taken off the list today which means he will once again be eligible to the Blues.