The Arizona Coyotes managed to make it through almost a full month of the NHL regular season without a player missing a game due to a COVID-related matter.
That is, until Friday night.
Forward John Hayden was on the league's daily list of players who are unavailable to their clubs to practice, travel or play in games due to COVID protocols. As neither the team nor the league share further details, such COVID protocol related absences can be the result of such factors as an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed, mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals if they have tested positive, or required quarantine as a high-risk close contact with someone who tested positive.