NHL to reimplement taxi squads as league struggles with COVID-19 outbreaks

The National Hockey League will reimplement taxi squads and other roster revisions as the league struggles with COVID-19 outbreaks, The Associated Press reported. 

According to the new provisions, any club is allowed to have a taxi squad of up to six players and can make emergency recalls to the minor league if COVID-19 absences would cause anyone to play without a full lineup.

A team that is low on available players can bring up a player from the American Hockey League, according to the AP. Emergency recalls can also be made of players with salary cap hits up to $1 million, an increase of the previous $850,000 limit. 

Players on the team’s taxi squads will also count as being in the minors for cap purposes as players can be placed on taxi squads for up to 20 days, the AP reported. 

League deputy commissioner Bill Daly confirmed the new roster rules in an email to the newswire on Sunday. 

This comes amid the league announcing last week that it will pause the 2021-22 regular season through Dec. 26. 

The NHL also postponed cross-border games for a week as multiple clubs are currently dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks. 

The league along with its players union have agreed that they will not participate in the upcoming Beijing Olympics due to COVID-19 concerns. 

The new provisions will take effect at least until the league’s All-Star break in February, the AP noted.