Paul Stastny among 4 Jets placed in COVID protocol

The latest sports news:

• Jets place four in COVID protocol, including Paul Stastny
• Blue Jackets place Jakub Voracek in COVID protocol, activate Alexandre Texier
• OHL postpones four games, including three Niagara IceDogs games
• Brazil men's soccer team omits Renan Lodi from World Cup qualifiers due to vaccination status

The Winnipeg Jets placed centre Paul Stastny, defenceman Brenden Dillion, goaltender Eric Comrie and assistant coach Wade Flaherty in COVID-19 protocol Thursday.

The team recalled Cole Perfetti from the taxi squad and called up goaltender Mikhail Berdin and forwards Jeff Malott and Austin Poganski from the AHL's Manitoba Moose to the taxi squad.

The Jets are fifth in the Central Division with a 16-12-5 record, and are scheduled to play in Detroit on Thursday.

Blue Jackets place Voracek in protocol, activate Texier

The Columbus Blue Jackets gained one and lost one to the COVID-19 protocol on Thursday.

Forward Jakub Voracek was placed into the NHL protocol while forward Alexandre Texier was activated from it. The 32-year-old is tied for the Blue Jackets' points lead (25) and leads the team in assists (24).

Texier, 22, has 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in 30 games. He was placed in the protocol on Jan. 7.

The Blue Jackets begin a three-game road trip Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.

OHL postpones four games

The Ontario Hockey League has postponed four more games due to COVID-19 concerns.

The league announced Thursday that three of the Niagara IceDogs' upcoming games have been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols affecting the club.

The affected dates include Niagara's home games Thursday against Barrie and Saturday against Kingston and its road game Friday at Mississauga.

Saturday's game at Erie, Pa., between the Otters and Kitchener has also been postponed.

The OHL has postponed 57 games so far this season, but the league has said it is committed to completing the season despite the challenges posed by the spread of the Omicron variant that is fuelling the pandemic's fourth wave.

Some of the postponed games have since been rescheduled, including 10 games that were given new dates on Wednesday.

Brazil men's soccer coach holds player out due to vaccination status

Brazil coach Tite has left out Renan Lodi for their World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay because the Atletico Madrid fullback has not had a full course of COVID-19 vaccines.

"Renan Lodi was excluded from the possibility of being called up due to his non-vaccination," Tite, who recalled Dani Alves and Philippe Coutinho, told reporters on Thursday. "He missed the chance to compete [for a place]."

National teams coordinator Juninho Paulista said the defender got his first vaccine on Jan. 10 and so would not be allowed into Ecuador, who Brazil play on Jan. 27 before facing Paraguay at home five days later.

Ecuador requires people entering the country to be fully vaccinated, he said.

Lodi is currently in Saudi Arabia where Atletico Madrid will play Athletic Bilbao later on Thursday in the second semi-final of the revamped Spanish Super Cup.

A source close to Lodi said he had not been vaccinated previously because he had contracted COVID. In Madrid, where Lodi is based, the waiting period to be vaccinated against the virus for people who have previously caught it was six months up until August and has been one month since.