ERIK JOHNSON OUT AFTER CONTRACTING COVID-19; NIKOLAJ EHLERS ABSENT FROM JETS

The Colorado Avalanche will be without a member of their defensive core for the beginning of the season. Head coach Jared Bednar revealed Wednesday that Erik Johnson is in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.

"Through training camp we had to say unfit, and I think today starts the day where we can just call it what it is: He's out with COVID," said Bednar. "He had a positive test. He's almost through that. So I think he'll be entering the building here soon

Bednar did tell reporters that Johnson is nearing the end of his quarantine and the hope is that he'll be available again on Saturday. Johnson missed the vast majority of training camp and was deemed "unfit to participate."

Johnson, 32, was third in average ice time for the Avs last season, though he he played just 59 games due to injury. He played nine games in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but appeared in only one of Colorado's seven games against the Dallas Stars in the second round.

Gabriel Landeskog was also deemed unfit during the first three days of training camp but he told reporters during a conference call Wednesday that he did not test positive for COVID-19.



Meanwhile, Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets is in COVID protocol related absence (CRPA). He is awaiting a clean test and may still be available for the Jets' season opener on Thursday.