According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, eight players from the German team tested positive for COVID-19 at the Junior Ice Hockey World Championship in the Edmonton Bubble.
The IIHF says the Germans will all stay in quarantine until Thursday. The country is expected to open its tournament against Finland the following afternoon, December 25, before going up against Canada on Boxing Day.
The quarantine means that with a list that includes the prospect of Ottawa Senators and Tim Stuetzle Draft No. 3 for 2020, Germany will miss exhibition games against Austria and the Czech Republic ahead of the annual U20 event.
The IIHF also announced that two members of the Swedish team tested positive.
The Swedes will remain in quarantine until Monday, with the exception of those exempted from extended duty hours due to previous positive tests that “offer personal immunity and no risk of infection to others”.
The tournament starts on Christmas Day
Sweden will face Canada in an exhibition game on Monday.
More than 2,000 tests have been conducted on players, staff and game officers since entering the Edmonton Bubble on Sunday, according to IIHF.
Teams without positive tests could start training on Friday.
The tournament is scheduled to begin on Christmas Day – including the meeting between Germans and Finns – at Rogers Place. The first exhibition games are planned for Sunday.
The NHL implemented similar bubbles for the restart of their 2019-20 pandemic delayed season this summer. The bubbles are tightly controlled and involve strict health and safety measures to keep the coronavirus at bay.
The league stated that it had not achieved positive results for more than two months.
