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This just in:
#Oilers Jesse Puljujarvi has been added to the Covid-19 protocol list, which I believe precludes him from participating in tonight's game in MTL.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 11, 2021
EDM is awaiting additional test results now, which the team is hoping to have within the next hour.
Tough break for one of the Oilers best players of late. Apart from some rough shooting luck (on his and for sure Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ part), Jesse Puljujarvi has been looking fantastic this season:
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This doesn’t necessarily mean he’s tested positive. He could have, but he could just be a close contact of someone who tested positive, or apparently, he could have returned an inconclusive test:
Start time being pushed could have to do with an inconclusive test, as opposed to a positive. Out of an abundance of caution, test results for the entire team would be pushed through as quick as possible the day of the inconclusive test, hence the start time being nudged back.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) February 11, 2021
To be honest, I’m not 100% sure on the range of outcomes here, so if any of the following seems extremely wrong feel free to correct me in the comments. I’m pretty sure that if he tests positive, he’ll need to stay symptom-free, return a negative test later tonight, and then return two more negative tests in the next 48 hours to get himself off the list. If he tests positive again tonight, he’ll be on the shelf for a little while — and a few critical games — at least. I don’t know what the program is if he returned an inconclusive and, say, tests negative before puck drop tonight. I’m not sure how long he’d be forced to quarantine as a close contact, or whether his being in Quebec when he tested positive makes a difference.
Stay tuned.