Josh Bailey’s status is up in the air.
The Islanders forward appeared on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list on Wednesday, though that doesn’t indicate he has the virus. Bailey could be awaiting confirmation on an earlier test or in isolation due to symptoms or exposure.
“He just wasn’t available today,” coach Barry Trotz told media after practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “He wasn’t out there today.”
Bailey’s availability for Thursday’s game against the Devils at Nassau Coliseum is unknown. The league prohibits teams from disclosing the precise reason a player on the list is not available.
NHLers with a confirmed positive test for coronavirus and who are asymptomatic must isolate for at least 10 days from the date of the initial result. If that’s the case for Bailey, he would miss four games — Thursday’s tilt, a visit to the Devils on Sunday, and two games at Washington on the Jan. 26 and Jan. 28.
Those last two games could be a whole different set of problems, as four Capitals players were added to the COVID list on Wednesday, and Washington also was fined $100,000 for violating league protocols. Forwards Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, defenseman Dmitry Orlov, and goalie Ilya Samsonov were made unavailable on Wednesday.
The NHL has been dealing with the coronavirus this season, with the Dallas Stars and Carolina Hurricanes having games postponed due to COVID-19.
Bailey is the first Islanders player to go on the NHL’s list. The 31-year-old has no points through three games this season.