The National Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 B.C.-born senior officiating manager is inside the B次元官网网址淣HL bubbleB次元官网网址� in Toronto now.
Rob Shick, originally from Port Alberni, crossed through the barriers on Thursday, July 23, and wonB次元官网网址檛 come out now until the end of the Stanley Cup playoffsB次元官网网址攑ossibly not until October.
National Hockey League players began arriving in the twin NHL bubbles of Toronto and Edmonton on Sunday, July 26. Twenty-four teams will compete in a restart of the season, which was interrupted in March thanks to the coronavirus epidemic.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l be there until anywhere from 45-50 days by the time we get out of there,B次元官网网址� Shick said last week from his home in Florida.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l be looking after the officials that are in Toronto, then IB次元官网网址檒l be interacting with the coaches and general managersB次元官网网址攁ll inside the bubble.B次元官网网址�
Security will be tight inside the two NHL sites, with security fencing separating NHL teams and personnel from the general population. Everyone inside will be undergoing daily COVID-19 testing.
B次元官网网址淥nce weB次元官网网址檙e in the bubble weB次元官网网址檙e not allowed to go out,B次元官网网址� Shick explained.
Each bubble will be self-contained, with 14 restaurants for players and staff as well as concierge service for players to receive delivery. An outdoor recreation facility has been created at BMO Field in Toronto, where the Toronto FC plays MLS soccer and the Argonauts ordinarily play their Canadian Football League games.
B次元官网网址淚t will be quite extensive,B次元官网网址� he said. The hockey arena where games will be played has been set up with B次元官网网址�20 or 30B次元官网网址� cameras, he said, which will give fans watching on television a superior experience. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to look amazing on TV.B次元官网网址�
Shick is the compliance officer for his group of officials, and must check in daily with the NHL to let them know everyone has had a temperature checked before they leave the hotel, have had their daily COVID-19 nasal swab and have been wearing their masks.
Shick should have been in Port Alberni earlier in July for the annual Charity Golf Classic at the Alberni Golf Club, which he started in 1994. He returns to play in it every year.
B次元官网网址淣ormally I would have already been up there for the golf tournament, which is the highlight of my year: getting out of the weather in Florida, seeing friends and family, and raising money for charity. This is a different time and weB次元官网网址檝e had to make adjustments.
B次元官网网址淗opefully next year IB次元官网网址檒l be back up for the tournament.B次元官网网址�
The golf club hasnB次元官网网址檛 found a replacement for raising money for the various charities that benefited, including BC ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital, said Gerry Fagan of the organizing committee.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had a few people from out of town show up who are regulars at the tournament,B次元官网网址� Fagan added. Former Alberni Valley Bulldog assistant coach Adam Hayduk, CTV Morning Live co-anchor Jason Pires, Ucluelet mayor Mayco Noel and Tony PowellB次元官网网址擲hickB次元官网网址檚 cousin from Campbell RiverB次元官网网址攈ave all come to play golf this summer; B次元官网网址渢hey all said that they missed the tournament,B次元官网网址� Fagan said.
Shick spent the early part of the pandemic at home in Florida, but said the resulting diseaseB次元官网网址擟OVID-19B次元官网网址攈asnB次元官网网址檛 affected him personally beyond a seven-day quarantine. His wife, Lynda Frye, is a doctor specializing in womenB次元官网网址檚 breast cancer, and one of his sons is also a frontline worker. B次元官网网址淢y wife works in the (health-care) business so she sees more than I do, and my son is a firefighter now.
B次元官网网址淭hey see more on the front lines but are fine for now.B次元官网网址�
Shick worked on nailing down the officiating side of the NHL restart and Stanley Cup playoffs. ItB次元官网网址檚 been challenging, he noted, because there arenB次元官网网址檛 many direct flights to bring referees to the NHL bubble cities. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e all had to have tests for COVID-19 before leaving. IB次元官网网址檝e had three tests in one week and will be tested again on a daily basis in Toronto. WeB次元官网网址檒l be wearing masks. WeB次元官网网址檙e settled right into a hotel.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be challenging, but at the same time exciting to get hockey on TV for everybody.B次元官网网址�
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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