VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks' anticipated return to work has been delayed at least another day.
The NHL announced Sunday that due to an additional Canucks player being in the league's COVID-19 protocols, the team's practice facilities will not open until Monday at the earliest.
The player has not been around the team since March 31, but the league's medical staff, plus staffs of the NHL Players' Association and the team determined ``that the prudent decision was to keep the facilities closed for an additional day,'' the NHL said in a release.
The decision isn't expected to impact the Canucks' first game back on Friday, when the Edmonton Oilers are scheduled to visit.
Twenty-five people, including 21 players and four members of the coaching staff, have tested positive for the virus during the outbreak.
Nineteen Canucks players were on the NHL's COVID protocol list before Sunday's 5 p.m. ET update. Only players on the active roster are on the list.
A player does not have to register a positive COVID-19 test to be on the list. Being a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case or a mandated travel quarantine, for example, could put a player on the list.
The Canucks said in a tweet Saturday that players would return to training and limited individual practices on Sunday, with a full group practice scheduled for Wednesday.
The outbreak saw eight Canucks games postponed between March 31 and April 14.
Vancouver GM Jim Benning said Friday that the ill players were feeling better, and are ``on the other side of it.''
``We still have family members that are getting sick and I think the players worry about that,'' the GM said.
The Canucks' overhauled schedule now has them set to end the season on May 16, meaning a gruelling final stretch that will see them play 19 games in 30 days including six sets of back-to-backs.
A player on the COVID-19 protocol list has not necessarily tested positive. Players who are in self-isolation after travelling or who've been in close contact with someone who tested positive, for example, are also on the list.
The list does not include team staff or players not on the active roster, including those on the taxi squad.
The Canucks said on Wednesday that a variant is involved in the outbreak. Full genome sequencing is being conducted by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control to determine which specific variant.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday during Hockey Night in Canada that none of the Canucks players are expected to opt-out of the remainder of the season after this virus scare.
Below are all of the scheduled changes announced by the NHL Saturday.
Edmonton at Vancouver, scheduled for May 4, is now scheduled for April 16 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Calgary at Vancouver, scheduled for March 31, is now scheduled for April 21 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
Vancouver at Toronto, scheduled for April 30, is now scheduled for April 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT
Vancouver at Calgary, scheduled for April 10, is now scheduled for May 3 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 3, is now scheduled for May 4 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 12, is now scheduled for May 8 at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
Ottawa at Calgary, scheduled for April 20, is now scheduled for May 9 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
Vancouver at Winnipeg, scheduled for April 4, is now scheduled for May 10 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
Vancouver at Winnipeg, scheduled for April 6, is now scheduled for May 11 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
Toronto at Ottawa, scheduled for May 10, is now scheduled for May 12 at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT
Vancouver at Edmonton, scheduled for April 14, is now scheduled for May 13 at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Calgary at Vancouver, scheduled for May 8, is now scheduled for May 15 at TBD
Vancouver at Calgary, scheduled for April 8, is now scheduled for May 16 at TBD
In addition to the games changing dates, two games will now start at new times.
Toronto at Vancouver, scheduled for April 19, is now scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT
Edmonton at Montreal, scheduled May 10, is now scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET
