Arizona Coyotes place Johan Larsson in COVID protocol

The Arizona Coyotes have placed Johan Larsson in the COVID protocol, making him unavailable for the time being. That comes just minutes after the team placed both Christian Fischer and Dmitrij Jaskin on injured reserve, recalling Hudson Fasching, Jan Jenik and Ben McCartney in their place.

Larsson joins Andrew Ladd in the protocol, who was placed there over the weekend. The team did not confirm whether or not Larsson has tested positive, or given any indication of how long he will be out. Jaskin, meanwhile, is expected to miss the rest of the season, while Fischer was last listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. He’ll have to miss at least a week with the IR designation.

For any Arizona fans hoping for a high draft pick to build the organization around, it appears they will get their wish. The team is 1-13-1 on the season and seems destined to finish in last place in the Central Division. Losing veteran players for any length of time will only provide an opportunity for younger options, though it seems unlikely that they will be able to right the ship and help the Coyotes become a competitive team. For a franchise that has seen draft picks stripped away and others flame out quickly, a strong class in 2022 is imperative.

Luckily, the team currently holds seven picks in the first two rounds, including three first-round selections, meaning there’s at least something to look forward to on the horizon.