Oilers' Connor McDavid ruled out of game vs. Maple Leafs, placed in virus protocol

The latest sports news:

The Oilers announced that captain Connor McDavid, forward Derek Ryan and defenceman Tyson Barrie have entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocol hours before Edmonton was scheduled to face the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

McDavid and Ryan were held out of practice Tuesday after returning positive tests as the team awaited results of further testing to determine their status for Wednesday's game.

McDavid had tested negative on Monday before playing in Edmonton's 4-1 loss against the Rangers in New York.

The Oilers also announced forward Zack Kassian has cleared COVID-19 protocols and goaltender Ilya Konovalov has been loaned to the team's taxi squad.

Goaltender Mike Smith is set to return from an undisclosed injury to start.

Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews told reporters he planned on playing in Wednesday's game after participating in practice. Matthews had been held out of Toronto's previous two practices for precautionary reasons after testing positive for COVID-19 on a rapid antigen test on Monday, then negative on a PCR test Tuesday.

WATCH | NHL schedule upended by virus:

Bayern Munich says Canadian star Alphonso Davies has joined the list of players to test positive for COVID-19.

The Bundesliga club says the 21-year-old fullback from Edmonton is well and self-isolating at home.

The COVID news comes just weeks before Canada is scheduled to play World Cup qualifiers in Honduras (Jan. 27), at home to the U.S. in Hamilton (Jan. 30) and in El Salvador (Feb. 2).

The Canadian men, who currently top the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying standings at 4-0-4, are slated to play Guatemala in a Jan. 22 training match in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Read more about Davies' positive test here.

The Ontario Hockey League says it is committed to finishing its 2021-22 season as new COVID-19 measures begin in the province, including a complete restriction on fans at indoor sports venues.

The OHL said in a release that the league's board of governors met Wednesday morning to address its next steps in progressing with the season despite no fans being allowed at games based in Ontario for at least the next three weeks.