The 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship is scheduled to begin with a tripleheader onChristmas Day and run through Jan. 5, but before the puck has Yonny Chirinos Jersey even dropped in Edmonton, Alta., the tournament has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before traveling by private charter to Edmonton and entering the world junior bubbleon Dec. 13, teams had to enter a bubble in their home country by Dec. 6 and test negative for the virus three times. AndperScott Salmond, Hockey Canada's senior vicepresident of national teams, anyone traveling toEdmonton is required to test negative for COVID-19 from Nov. 29 on. If they test positive after that date, even once, they coach, staff,or player are deemed "ineligible to participate in any manner at the world junior championship."

Once everyone is in Edmonton, the bubble is expected to be similar to the one NHL teams experienced over thesummer. Keeping it secure is critical. Teams will be quarantined for four fulldays in their hotel rooms upon arrival and subject to daily testing.

On Dec. 18, as the majority of teams and players were released from quarantine to practice but not fully inducted into the bubble just yet the IIHF announced that two teams had positive tests: Germany and Sweden. As a result, both teams had their quarantines extended which, for the Germans was further extended for nine players on Christmas Eve.

"The Event Medical Team and Executive Committee will ensure that the affected individuals get the care they require," thestatement from the IIHF read. "Our number one priority is the health of the individuals and to ensure that we isolate these cases to keep the entire community and event safe. ...The goal of the event was to get players and staff into the bubble as Brent Honeywell Jersey early as po sible in order to ensure that we could isolate any positive cases, and allow the impacted individuals to complete a mandatory quarantine period, rejoin their team and participate in the tournament."Our team continues to work with the Organizing Committee and all competing teams, and we will evaluate the status of all players and staff daily.Our goal remains to work through the quarantine period and establish a safe bubble for players to achieve their dream of competing in the World Juniors"

If it comes down to it, it should be noted thatteams do not need to dre s the maximum number of skaters and can suit up Ryan Yarbrough Jersey just 15 skaters and two goalies. In addition, the tournament can still go on if two of the 10 teams cannot compete. As of Dec. 18, the only teams that have not reportedly been impacted by COVID-19 areRu sia, Finland, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Here's an updated look at howCOVID-19 has affected the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship:

It was announced on Dec. 8 that defenseman Thimo Nickl (Ducks, 2020) returned a positive COVID-19 test and would be unable to participate. Nickl was one of just two players (the other being Wild prospect Marco Ro si) selected for the camp who were drafted by an NHL team.

Drummondville's Thimo Nickl, who hadn't made it over to North America yet this year, out of the WJC after a positive Covid-19 test.

The host team was the first one hit by COVID-19 as itbegan its selection camp earlier than the other countries. Players metin Red Deer, Alta., on Nov. 16.

Five players did not play in the team's first intrasquad game on Nov. 21: goaltender Devon Levi and forwards Ridly Greig, Dylan Holloway, Alex Newhook and Xavier Simoneau. Levi, Holloway and Newhook all play college Corey Dickerson Jersey hockey in the United States and are subject to Canada's 14-day quarantine requirement. Per Greig's agent Kevin Epp, the forward hadtested positive forCOVID-19 but was asymptomatic. He did attend camp by the first weekend and was skating with the other quarantined players.

WORLD JUNIORS 2021:

Before the first week was over, on Nov. 21, Hockey Canada announced that a non-core staff member tested positive. The staff member and their close contacts, including a sistant coaches Jason LaBarbera and Michael Dyck, were placed in self-isolation. Labarbera and Dyck continued coaching via video with Tyler Dietrich temporarily taking over Dyck's power-play duties.

Four days later, on the morning after an intrasquad game was postponed, the camp was shut down aftertwo unidentified players tested positive. The team was quarantined no one was allowed to leave their hotel room for 14 days.

Before Canada returned to the ice on Dec. 8, five players were released. Per Salmond, the decisions were based strictly on health and not hockey Trevor Richards Jersey as the playerswere "unfit to continue to play based on return-to-play protocols."

The five players weredefensemen Matthew Robertson (Rangers, 2019),Mason Millman (Flyers, 2019) and Daemon Hunt (Wild, 2020)and forwardsSimoneau (2021 draft prospect) and Greig (Senators, 2020).

The Germans lost four players for the tournament: goaltender Tobias Ancicka andforwards Lukas Reichel (Blackhawks, 2020), Nino Kinder and Elias Linder. Losing Ancicka, Reichel and Kinder, who played in last year's tournament,is a big blow to the lineup. Reichel combined with John-Jason Peterka and Tim Stutzle for 16 points at the 2020 championship and the trio wasexpected to be reunited as the team's top line. Ancicka was looking like the nation's top netminder. Linder did not play in the 2020 WJC.

Gut fnf Wochen vor der U20-WM in Edmonton hat U20-Bundestrainer Tobias Abstreiter seinen Kader fr das Turnier benannt. Am 6. Dezember starten fr 27 Spieler in F sen in den ersten Teil der Vorbereitung auf den U20-Saisonhhepunkt. Mehr:

, all staff and players tested negative before heading to Alberta but,as noted above, Germany had positive tests in Edmonton. Evan Longoria Jersey Per the release, eight players tested positive and the team will have its quarantine extended until Dec. 24.

With the extended quarantine, Germany will be unable to compete in exhibition games with Austria (Dec. 21) and the Czech Republic (Dec. 23). TheGermans are scheduled, for now, to open their 2021 bid on Dec. 25 against Finland before meeting Canada on Boxing Day.

Germany's quarantine woes continued, it was announced on Dec. 24, as one additional player tested positive and will likely mi s the entirety of the tournament; he must quarantine till Jan. 4.Ten players were released on Christmas Eve and jointhe six who were previously granted acce s to the bubble. Of the remaining eight players in quarantine, eight must remain in quarantine until Dec. 27 and will mi s the team's first two round-robin games against Finland (Dec. 25) and Canada (Dec. 26). The other five must quarantine until Dec. 29, which would leave