Spezza, Simmonds join Tavares, Kerfoot in COVID-19 protocol

The Toronto Maple Leafs placed veteran forwards Jason Spezza and Wayne Simmonds in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol, the team announced Friday.

The club also placed captain John Tavares and forward Alexander Kerfoot in protocol earlier Friday.

The Maple Leafs recalled forward Alex Steeves and defenseman Carl Dahlstrom from the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

The team canceled Friday's practice for precautionary reasons, and all players and staff will undergo additional testing. Toronto is scheduled to take on the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.

Spezza was set to return to the team's lineup after getting his suspension reduced from six games to four on Friday. He has seven goals and four assists in 26 games this season, while Simmonds has four goals and six assists in 29 contests.

Tavares has recorded 32 points in 29 games this season, while Kerfoot's posted 16 points in 30 contests. The pair have been deployed together on Toronto's second line alongside William Nylander for much of the campaign.