Just a few weeks ago, the Chicago Blackhawks appeared to have seven or eight prospects that would represent their native countries in the 2021 World Junior Championship. But COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly around the globe, and now, the Blackhawks are looking at just two or three prospects in the tournament, which is set to kick off on Christmas Day in Edmonton, Alberta.

2020 first-round pick (No. 17 overall) Lukas Reichel is the latest Blackhawks prospect to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Reichel tested positive for the virus on Tuesday morning and WILL NOT be able to play for Team Germany in the World Junior Championship. Reichel has shined at the World Juniors in the past for Germany, as he tallied five points (three goals, two assists) in the tournament last year and helped win a Gold Medal at the Under-18 Championship in 2019.

Blackhawks first-round pick Lukas Reichel has tested positive for COVID and won’t be playing in the World Junior Championship, the Germany national team announced.

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) December 8, 2020

Reichel’s professional club in the DEL, Eisbaren Berlin, tweeted out that he remains symptom-free and is now in quarantine. With Reichel out for Team Germany, the Blackhawks are left with Kirby Dach (Team Canada), Landon Slaggert (Team USA), Michael Krutil (Czech Republic), and Michal Teply (Czech Republic) on World Junior rosters.

Kirby Dach & Team Canada

The Blackhawks decided to allow their 2019 first-round pick to play for Team Canada in the World Junior Championship, but only if the tournament does not interfere with training camp or the beginning of the NHL regular season. The decision appeared to be paying off early on in camp, as Dach flashed a couple of highlight-reel maneuvers, but Team Canada was forced into a two-week quarantine because of a COVID-19 outbreak shortly after. Due to COVID-19 concerns, plus the recent news that NHL training camps are expected to open around New Year’s Day, Dach will likely be recalled by the Blackhawks before Team Canada plays a game. Although, Dach was not one of the five players deemed “unfit to play” by Hockey Canada on Tuesday and has yet to be released.

Antti Saarela & Team Finland

Blackhawks 2019 fourth-round pick Antti Saarela played for Team Finland in each of the previous two World Junior Championships. Saarela was on track to play in the tournament once again this year until he suffered an undisclosed injury on November 27 for Ilves in Finland’s Liiga. Team Finland was forced to leave Saarela off their camp roster, marking another Blackhawks prospect that will not be playing in the 2021 World Junior Championship.

Alex Vlasic, Drew Commesso, & Team USA

Just two days before Reichel tested positive for COVID-19, Blackhawks prospects Alex Vlasic and Drew Commesso were told they could not play for Team USA at the 2021 World Junior Championship due to COVID-19 protocols. Both Vlasic and Commesso play college hockey at Boston University, which suffered a COVID-19 outbreak in their men’s ice hockey program last week. The only Blackhawks prospect left on Team USA’s camp roster is 2020 third-round pick Landon Slaggert, and he has never played in a World Junior Championship in the past. Slaggert is also only 18 years old, so it will be difficult for him to crack Team USA’s final roster. If Slaggert gets cut, the Blackhawks will not have any prospects representing the United States at the 2021 World Junior Championship.