*Photo from Yahoo! Sports*
With training camp starting up soon, and the beginning of the 2021-2022 regular season right around the corner, the NHL is estimating huge vaccination marks leaguewide. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an interview that he is estimating approximately 98% of the league to be fully vaccinated by the start of the season, according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff.
If the 98% number holds true, as Daly said, that would leave about 10 to 15 players across the entire league that wouldn't be fully vaccinated. Those players will be subject to stricter Covid-19 protocols then fully vaccinated players, and they could lose paychecks for any day they have to miss team activities, should they test positive or be considered a close contact.
Daly was discussing the high vaccination rate leaguewide, and the protocols for vaccinated vs unvaccinated players, saying that "I think that's been an incentive and a motivator for most players to to become fully vaccinated, even if they had concerns about it. But it was intended to be that."
There is no vaccine mandate levied by the NHL, or the NHLPA, but the restrictions, which could potentially include not being able to cross the U.S.-Canada border to play games, led to a big uptick in players choosing to get vaccinated. Those unvaccinated players will be restricted on the road, being unable to leave their hotel room except for team activities, and they will not be allowed to have other players in their hotel room, whether vaccinated or not.
As of Monday afternoon, 5 teams in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes have confirmed that 100% of their team has been vaccinated entering training camp, with other NHL teams expected to reach that mark soon as well.
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty spoke on the high vaccination rate, saying that "We weren't really trying to convince each other one way or the other. But then I think when the NHL released that statement that you lose pay and stuff like that, that kind of changed some guys' minds."
Comments
Post a Comment