<p>The NHL announced on Wednesday that it had fined the Capitals$100,000 for violatingthe league's COVID19 protocols. The i sueinvolved social interactions among team members who were in close contact and who were not wearing face coverings, according to a short statement.</p><p>Soon after, the team had four members Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov,Alex Ovechkinand Sean Doolittle Jersey Ilya Samsonov on the NHL's list of players unavailable to practice or play.</p><p>Wednesday night, the team released statements further explainingwhich rules were broken.</p><p>"I regret my choice to spend time together with my teammates in our hotel room and away from the locker room areas. I will learn from this experience," said the statement from Ovechkin, the Capitals' captain and star forward.</p><p>The team added a noteof itsown: "Our training staff has worked extremely hard to create a safe environment for our players and staff to be able to compete this season. We are disappointed by our players choice to interact in their hotel room and outside of team approved areas. We accept the NHL's decision Miguel Montero Jersey and once again will reiterate the COVID-19 Protocols in place to make sure the players are in full compliance moving forward."</p><p>On Thursday, head coach Peter Laviolette would not confirm whether there was a positive test among the group. that Ilya Samsonov did test positive. The four players are now in a mandated seven-day quarantine per Washington, D.C., law and will mi s at least four games.</p><p>"Those are four big pieces for us, and important pieces, so they'll be mi sed," Laviolette told reporters. "We totally understand why the rules are Adrian Sanchez Jersey in place and there's no arguing with that. We want to be compliant. We made a mistake, and we need to do a better job."</p><p>COVID-19 CASE TRACKER: </p><p>Beforethe start of the season, the NHL published multiple comprehensive protocol books outlining what was and what was not acceptable conduct during the season. While it included information regarding players wearing face coverings and maintaining at least sixfeet of distancing, it also included a section on club travel protocol. As part of that protocol,it clearly states: No individual shall permit guests or other personnel in their room (with the exception of housekeeping or engineering staff, as needed, which services shall be provided while individuals are not present in the room).</p><p>"We knew the rules," Laviolette said when pre sed. "We're not sitting here saying that we were uninformed or we weren't aware. We need to do a better job. Anibal Sanchez Jersey The players, I think, being on their first road trip and being inside of the hotel for that long a time and wanting to be near each other, I get it. But at the end of the day, it is about staying safe and those were the me sages that we pa sed along to the players."</p><p>Thursday, Ovechkin's wife Nastya blasted the NHL's rules on Instagram, while also adding that her husband and Orlov already have antibodies.</p><p>"Of course, you can't catch the virus when you and your Joe Blanton Jersey teammates sit together on the bench, hug each other when they score a goal, or when they are all together in the lounge or locker room," part of her post read. "Players can't get infected when they are at the restaurants, supermarkets, malls, etc.. sic . Virus only works in a hotel room. The one who came up with this rule, obviously is very logical!"</p><p dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Alex Ovechkins wife, Nastya, posted this on Instagram just now. She says Ovechkin and Dmitry Orlov have covid-19 antibodies. </p> Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) <p>SCHEDULE CHANGES: </p><p>The Capitals were off Wednesday (it was a previously scheduled off day) after playing Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. They are not scheduled to play again until Friday when they host the Sabres inthe home opener to begin a six-game homestand.</p> Brian Dozier Jersey <p>The news comes a day after the Hurricanes-Predators game was postponedas fourCanes players joined Jordan Staal on the team's COVID protocol-related absences list. On Wednesday, Carolina's games through Saturday, Jan. 23 werepostponed. The Stars had their first four games postponed after 17payers tested positive during training camp.</p>