Connor McDavid calls the idea of potentially having to quarantine up to five weeks in China following a positive COVID-19 test at the Beijing Olympics B次元官网网址渦nsettlingB次元官网网址� as the NHLB次元官网网址檚 participation at the 2022 Winter Games remains up in the air B次元官网网址� and coronavirus cases and postponements continue to rise sharply across the league.
One of three players already named to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 provisional Olympic team, the Edmonton Oilers captain believes his hockey brethren needs to continue collecting all available facts before making a final decision.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 obviously going to be a very fluid situation,B次元官网网址� McDavid said Tuesday before Edmonton hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs. B次元官网网址淭here hasnB次元官网网址檛 been a ton of information come out, and then thereB次元官网网址檚 that three-to-five week (quarantine) thing B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 kind of been floating around.
B次元官网网址淥bviously, itB次元官网网址檚 unsettling if that were to be the case when you go over there.B次元官网网址�
The league committed to Beijing as part of the extension to the current collective bargaining agreement signed with NHL PlayersB次元官网网址� Association after skipping the Olympics four years ago in South Korea, but can pull out of the Games at any point.
The NHL has until Jan. 10 to nix the plan without financial penalty if COVID-19 causes enough of a disruption to its season.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 still a guy thatB次元官网网址檚 wanting to go play in the Olympics,B次元官网网址� McDavid said. B次元官网网址淏ut we also want to make sure itB次元官网网址檚 safe for everybody.
B次元官网网址淔or all the athletes, not just for hockey players.B次元官网网址�
The International Olympic Committee has said an athlete that tests positive for COVID-19 in China will need to produce two negative results 24 hours apart.
If theyB次元官网网址檙e unable to do so, the quarantine period could last from 21 days up to five weeks.
Asked if even the minimum quarantine being floated would see the reigning Hart Trophy winner remove himself from consideration, McDavid reiterated a need to get all the particulars.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not in the position to make that decision today,B次元官网网址� he said.
McDavid is also far from the only high-profile NHLer contemplating whatB次元官网网址檚 just over the horizon.
Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Alex Pietrangelo B次元官网网址� named alongside McDavid and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby as provisional members of the Canadian squad B次元官网网址� said Sunday heB次元官网网址檚 not sure if heB次元官网网址檒l be going to China.
Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner last week became the first player to announce publicly he wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be going to the Games because of the quarantine rules.
Leafs captain John Tavares added Monday the situation made him B次元官网网址渦neasyB次元官网网址� after learning of the current requirements should he be selected by Canada.
The way things are trending, however, the decision might end up out of the playersB次元官网网址� hands as more of them enter the leagueB次元官网网址檚 COVID-19 protocol.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said at the recent board of governors meeting in Florida the decision on going to the Games would rest with the players B次元官网网址� as long as the virus doesnB次元官网网址檛 throw a wrench in the leagueB次元官网网址檚 calendar.
Deputy commissioner Bill Daly added that B次元官网网址渁ny material (COVID-19) disruption to our season would certainly give us a reason to withdraw.B次元官网网址�
A total of nine NHL games have already been postponed, including four this week.
The Calgary Flames are the latest club to suffer a major outbreak with nine players B次元官网网址� defenceman Noah Hanifin, and forwards Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan were placed into protocol Tuesday B次元官网网址� and a staff member sidelined, causing three contests to be scratched.
General manager Brad Treliving told reporters on a video conference call Tuesday those impacted B次元官网网址渁re doing well,B次元官网网址� adding itB次元官网网址檚 unclear if the positive tests are a result of the Omicron variant.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been communicating back and forth,B次元官网网址� Treliving said. B次元官网网址淕uys are feeling good.B次元官网网址�
Medical experts for the league and playersB次元官网网址� association have a previously scheduled meeting set for later this week to review COVID-19 protocols. A source told The Canadian Press the focus will likely be on enhancing the current measures.
All but one NHL player B次元官网网址� Tyler Bertuzzi of the Detroit Red Wings B次元官网网址� is fully vaccinated. Lucic said in a since-deleted Twitter post Tuesday the Flames are B次元官网网址�100 per cent vaccinated and some like myself also have a booster.B次元官网网址�
The Vancouver Canucks, who endured the NHLB次元官网网址檚 worst outbreak last season, put defenceman Luke Schenn and winger Juho Lammikko into protocol Tuesday after cancelling the teamB次元官网网址檚 morning skate ahead of its home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
B次元官网网址淭here has to be a comfort level,B次元官网网址� Canucks president and interim GM Jim Rutherford said. B次元官网网址淎nd nobody was comfortable at (Rogers Arena) this morning, nor would we expect them to be.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hey donB次元官网网址檛 want to (catch the virus) again,B次元官网网址� he added. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e trying to move on this as quickly as we can and be as cautious as we can.B次元官网网址�
That news came after the Carolina Hurricanes placed centres Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis and a member of the training staff in protocol Monday. The Canucks hosted the Hurricanes on Sunday.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e not getting sick, but theyB次元官网网址檙e paying the price for it B次元官网网址� they have to just sit there (in Vancouver),B次元官网网址� Hurricanes head coach Rod BrindB次元官网网址橝mour said Tuesday of his quarantined players. B次元官网网址淪uper frustrating, especially when it happens on the road, and then obviously in another country because thereB次元官网网址檚 different rules.
B次元官网网址淚 feel for those guys because itB次元官网网址檚 super tough on them.B次元官网网址�
Shortly after BrindB次元官网网址橝mour spoke, the league announced CarolinaB次元官网网址檚 game Tuesday in Minnesota against the Wild had been postponed.
Meanwhile, Boston Bruins winger Brad Marchand, New York Islanders centre Mathew Barzal and Edmonton forward Ryan McLeod were also added to COVID-19 protocol, bringing leagueB次元官网网址檚 overall number of players to north of 130 so far this season B次元官网网址� including two dozen this week alone.
Asked if the significant uptick in positive tests and postponements was giving him flashbacks to March 2020 when the sports world and much of society ground to a halt, Treliving wouldnB次元官网网址檛 go quite that far.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think anything is going to feel like that,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat was a cold slap (to the face).B次元官网网址�
But thereB次元官网网址檚 no doubting itB次元官网网址檚 another uncomfortable time with plenty of questions and few answers.
B次元官网网址擩oshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
