U.S. women's hockey coach John Wroblewski sidelined by COVID-19

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The United States women's national hockey team, which will feature 18 returning Olympians, took the ice for the first time Sunday to prepare for the world championships without new coach John Wroblewski, who tested positive for COVID-19.

Wroblewski tested positive Saturday, USA Hockey spokesperson Melissa Katz said, and will coach remotely while spending a 10-day stretch in self-isolation. Should he be cleared, Wroblewski would travel separately to join the team in Denmark, where the U.S. opens the 10-nation tournament against Japan on Aug. 25.

Wroblewski, 41, was hired May 31 to replace Joel Johnson, who coached the team to a silver medal at the Beijing Winter Games in February. Johnson stepped down after one year as part of his commitment to coach the University of St. Thomas women's program.

Assistant coaches Josh Sciba and Shelley Looney will oversee the on-ice duties in Wroblewski's absence. The team is scheduled to travel to Denmark on Thursday following a pre-tournament camp in Buffalo, New York.

«It's business as usual. I think everybody knows their job,» said forward Hilary Knight, who will be competing in her 12th world championship.

«Obviously, it's a big miss. He's a new coach, and he's not here for the first week or so. But he does his best to Zoom in and just make it work. That's just the name of the game in this tournament. If something happens, you have to be able to adjust and adapt and keep moving forward.»

The U.S. roster is led by Knight, whose 47 goals and 80 points are world championship team records, and Kendall Coyne Schofield, who will be making her ninth tournament appearance.

There are only five players who did not compete in Beijing, where the Americans lost 3-2 to Canada in