Uh ... The NHL Has a Major COVID Problem Developing

[turbinetree]

December 14, 2021, by Mario Tirabassi Chicago Blackhawks

It’s just barely midday on Tuesday as I write this and already the NHL has been hit with a plethora of positive COVID cases and players being put into protocol. Currently, the NHL has 30 players in protocol and the running list from today already includes Mat Barzal (Islanders), Brad Marchand (Bruins), Devon Toews (Avalanche), and a trio of Flames players with Noah Hanifin, Milan Lucic, and Sean Monahan all landing in protocol.

Calgary is now up to nine players and staff in COVID protocol and had their game last night with the Blackhawks postponed, as well as their games up through Thursday. Signs point to that likely extending beyond Thursday anyway.

The league has seen the Senators, Islanders, and Flames all have games postponed this season already. The league has cancelled team holiday parties and all public events until further notice. At what point are we looking at the possibility of games being closed to the public? Or at what point could the league be facing a pause in the season?

https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2021/12/14/uh-the-nhl-has-a-major-covid-problem-developing/

[sarcasmo]

1. NBA too, Bulls vs Pistons game postponed for tonight.

[gibraltar72]

5. I saw last night

Bulls were down to league minimum 8 players eligible.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

11. Bulls cancelled next game too, cant field a team, 10 players out n/t

[Deminpenn]

2. Seems to be running through the younger pro players

But so far, at least for the known cases in Pittsburgh pro sports athletes, the cases have been either asymptomatic or mild symptoms. All identified athletes above are fully vaccinated.

[BlackSkimmer]

3. I've forgotten his name, but I remember there was one player who had a fake vax card.

Idiocy not to strictly enforce their own policies.

[Nevilledog]

8. Evander Kane, San Jose Sharks

[dsc]

4. Carolina's game was postponed tonight for COVID

so there's more.

[Best_man23]

6. Add the NFL to that list

As of 7 PM EST they have over 60 players on their team's reserve/Covid lists since Monday. The Cleveland Browns alone have placed eight players on the Covid list and have moved to enhanced protocols.

[bullwinkle428]

9. Yesterday was a record for new cases in one day in the NFL - 36.

[milestogo]

10. Yes.

[greenjar_01]

7. They're gonna postpone games but not close down the seasons

This has been happening already with European soccer for a year.

[iemanja]

12. Aren't there vaccine mandates in these sports?

[GoCubsGo]

14. The entire NHL is vaccinated, except for one guy.

As the Blackhawks' head coach mentioned this morning, many of the staff and players have gotten boosters, or will be getting them.

[iemanja]

15. Then how can so many be infected?

[GoCubsGo]

16. See post #13.

They're not necessarily infected. Not mention that we're talking 30 out of over 800 players, and hundreds of coaches and staff.

[GoCubsGo]

13. Being in COVID protocol doesn't necessarily mean they have COVID.

In the NHL, anything from mere exposure to someone else who is infected, to having full-blown COVID will put them in protocol. I have seen several of them in it only a few days, mostly due to false positives. The ones who do actually get COVID overwhelmingly have relatively minor cases, as the entire league, with one exception, has been vaccinated.

The game postponements are more salary cap-related than anything. With the stagnant cap, a lot of teams have no cap space to bring up players from their AHL affiliates, so too many guys in protocol will lead to postponing games.

[Ace Rothstein]

17. I bet the leagues are going to be updating their COVID protocols soon.

The NHL will have to do something about the cap as well with how many teams are tight up against it.

[GoCubsGo]

19. Yep. They probably should have kept the "taxi squads."

Or, a modified version of it. It would help with cross-border games, too.

[roamer65]

18. Omicron, I bet.