After numerous COVID-related disruptions, NHL nears end of ragged regular season

SAN JOSE — After three postponements, the Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights are finally going to drop the puck on a game that was originally supposed to be played in February.

Such as it was during an NHL season that saw dozens of games postponed as COVID-19-related issues throughout the league wreaked havoc on rosters and kept schedule-makers busy.

Wednesday’s game between the Sharks and Golden Knights at SAP Center was first supposed to be played on Feb. 3, the second of a two-game series that was going to mark the return of the NHL to San Jose after a nearly 11-month absence.

So much for that idea.

The game was postponed to Feb. 25 because of a COVID-19 outbreak among the Golden Knights, then it was moved to April 23 because of Sharks forward Tomas Hertl’s positive test.

The Colorado Avalanche then had an outbreak in mid-April, causing some late rescheduling within the West Division and the final Sharks-Golden Knights game to be moved to Wednesday.

The NHL has never played regular-season games so late in a calendar year. Then again, no team has ever experienced a season quite like this one, either.

“The opponents that Vegas was supposed to play were going through (COVID), which was Colorado at the time,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner said. “I don’t know how (the NHL) did it, but they tried to fit it in the schedule so that everybody else could get their games in as well.”

Wednesday’s game is part of a ragged end to the regular season, as the league shuffled around more than 50 games this year due to COVID outbreaks and weather delays.

One game between St. Louis and Minnesota that was originally supposed to be played on Feb. 9 was moved to April 12 due to multiple COVID-19 cases within the Wild’s dressing room. The game was postponed again from April 12 to Wednesday following the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright by police on April 11.

Eighteen teams will have completed or will complete their regular seasons as of Tuesday night. But starting Wednesday, eight teams will have at least two games remaining, including four in the North Division – Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver.

The Canucks had their regular season halted for more than three weeks as coaches and 21 players tested positive for COVID-19. Their issues forced the NHL to add days to the end of the regular season, as the league wanted every team to play a 56-game season.

So, even though the Canucks have been eliminated from playoff contention, they still have five games left, including four with the Flames, who are also playing out the string.

The final two games between those teams will be played during the afternoon on both May 18 and 19, with the potential of playoff games taking place around the NHL that night.

A full NHL playoff schedule has yet to be announced as final seedings in each division still have to be finalized.

“I can’t imagine the spot they’re in,” Boughner said of the Flames and Canucks. “To see the league shut down and you’re the last team playing, that would be a tough motivator for me. Maybe they can use that as we’re doing. Give some young guys some looks.”

The Sharks were knocked out of playoff contention last week, but Wednesday’s game does carry some significance for the Golden Knights.

While the Sharks hope to finish the year on a positive note, Vegas is still looking to clinch first place in the division and win the President’s Trophy as the team with the NHL’s best record, which would mean home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

Vegas enters Wednesday in first place in the division with 80 points, two more than the Avalanche. The Golden Knights can clinch the division and earn the NHL’s No. 1 overall seed if they beat the Sharks and if the Los Angeles Kings can beat the Avalanche once in their season-ending two game series that starts Wednesday in Denver.

The opportunity to play spoiler doesn’t necessarily provide any extra motivation for the Sharks, who are 0-5-2 against the Golden Knights this season.

“We’re on the same page as we’ve been the last few weeks,” Boughner said. “We’re going to be giving a lot of young guys some opportunities, we’re going to start one of the young goalies. This game, more for us, is about taking looks at guys and giving guys a chance to get up here and get a taste of it. It doesn’t change much for us.”