MONTREAL -- The list of Montreal Canadiens players on the COVID-19 protocol list continues to grow as the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (the Q) extends its winter break amid rising cases.

TWO PLAYERS ADDED TO PROTOCOL LIST

Habs head coach Dominique Ducharme announced that two more players will be added to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol later Thursday: defencemen Gianni Fairbrother and Louie Belpedio.

Ducharme said that his lineup on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes would be similar to the one that faced the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

The game against the Hurricanes will happen, despite the severity of the situation in the Habs camp.

Montreal is currently without 13 players due to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. In addition, six other players are also sidelined due to injury.

"We are doing everything we can to protect our players and staff," said Ducharme. "We can only wait for the results and then react. There's nothing more we can do."

Forward Artturi Lehkonen is no longer in the COVID-19 protocol, but Ducharme said he would not rejoin the team by the end of his trip to the southeastern United States. The same goes for the players who will be completing their 10-day quarantine in the next few days.

After their matchup with the Hurricanes, the Habs will visit the Florida Panthers on Saturday afternoon. Ducharme said that the team could make some recalls from its training camp between now and then "to protect itself if anything else happens."

The Canadiens' next four games have been postponed due to the ban on spectators at the Bell Centre as a result of the increase in cases of COVID-19 in Quebec. The Habs' next game is scheduled for Jan. 12 against the Bruins in Boston.

THE Q EXTENDS HOLIDAY BREAK TO JAN. 14

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced an extension of its holiday break until Jan. 14, as the increase in cases of COVID-19 in Eastern Canadian communities remains a concern.

In a news release issued Thursday morning, the QMJHL states that players will have to return to their organizations no later than January 14.

The league cites three reasons why it favours a return of players by this date: to create a safe environment for players and staff, to provide a framework and facilitate the return to arenas, and to allow for indoor practices and workouts.

An updated version of the COVID-19 protocol will include a series of preventive tests prior to the arrival of players and staff in the team environment. Additional measures will be announced in the coming days, the Q said.

The league schedule will resume the week of Jan. 17, while postponed games will be rescheduled at a later date.

-- These reports by The Canadian Press were first published in French on Dec. 30, 2021.