OK Daily: Golden Knights, NHL, Look to Get Back to Business After COVID Pause

Welcome back, readers. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year as well. If all things continue to go as planned, I will be in Las Vegas to join you come the new year. The Vegas Golden Knights are still in the midst of their now six-day pause from game action.

After playing the only game on Tuesday, December 21st, the Golden Knights had both their December 23rd game against the Los Angeles Kings and tomorrow’s December 27th game against the Colorado Avalanche postponed. The NHL’s rise in COVID-19 cases has caused this massive surge of game postponements and as a result, the NHL has dropped out of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Despite it being the holiday season news in the NHL lately has been bleak. I am sure all of you know this, and to be honest, I am getting tired of writing about it. I just hope that we can move forwards and get back to playing hockey.

Vegas: Golden Knights forward Reilly Smith is on the same page as most athletes when it comes to COVID-19 in sports. Smith stated “This thing isn’t going to go away, so if we can play games, I think we want to play,” after the Golden Knights last game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Vegas: Christmas may be over but can the Golden Knights get any of the things on their 2021 Christmas Wishlist soon?

NHL News, Trade Rumors and National Hockey Now

Pittsburgh: The NHL has announced the return of the Taxi Squad and has also updated their rules on COVID-19. Expect guys like Adam Brooks, Michael Amadio, and Ben Hutton to be placed on the Golden Knights Taxi Squad.

NHL/NHLPA working on COVID roster protection, including: Optional use of taxi-squad through All-Star; emergency call-ups as long as player is making no more than $1M; and freedom to add a goalie if a club has less than 2 healthy due to the virus.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 26, 2021

Pittsburgh: Just what exactly has been going so well for the Pittsburgh Penguins as of late and can the team continue this upward trajectory and pass the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes in the standings?

Pittsburgh: Could the Penguins be listening in on offers for Bryan Rust? Here are five names on the NHL trade bait board. Are the Colorado Avalanche interested in any of these players?

Boston: Several members of the Boston Bruins organization are saddened by the NHL’s Decision regarding the 2022 Winter Olympics.

San Jose: We are way out from the 2026 Winter Olympics but looking ahead far too early, which San Jose Sharks make the team?

Vancouver: Which players in the NHL are missing out on an opportunity to compete in the Olympics?

Colorado: With countless games now having to be rescheduled, what will the three-week break in February mean for the NHL and rescheduling games?

Florida: A healthy Alexander Barkov was on the Florida Panthers’ 2021 Christmas List. How likely is it that their wish will come true?

Vancouver: What is on the Vancouver Canucks’ 2021 Christmas Wishlist with Jim Rutherford not at the helm?

Long Island: New York Islanders superstar center Mat Barzal was stranded in Detroit recently. Here are some of the best memes as a result of Barzal’s incident.

Detroit: Longtime NHL’er and former Detroit Red Wing Bobby Ryan has signed overseas in Switzerland.

TSN: Full coverage of the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships is over at TSN. Vegas Hockey Now will have more on the prospects for the Golden Knights that will play in the tournament.