Patrice Bergeron. Brad Marchand. Sebastian Aho. Andre Svechnikov. Johnny Gaudreau. Jordan Staal. Mathew Barzal. Mikael Granlund. Devon Toews
That reads like a list of talented players. But it’s actually a partial list of NHLers on the COVID-19 list. Since Sunday, 32 players have been added to the list.
The NHL announced today that the Calgary Flames are shut down until at least Dec. 18 because COVID has spread dramatically within the organization. In addition to seven more players on the Flames’ list, 10 staff members have been added. One of those is Darryl Sutter who is 63.
Nashville coach John Hynes is also on the list. Too many people are on the list. Some of them are more vulnerable than most players. That’s why the NHL and NHLPA are considering some form of partial bubble.
“I’ve read in the websites that the NHL and the NHLPA have discussed enhanced measures similar to what we were in a year ago,… Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said.
The Red Wings have two players (Michael Rasmussen and Robby Fabbri) on their COVID list. They play the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday. The ‘Canes have six players, including Aho, Svechnikov, Staal, Ian Cole and Seth Jarvis.
Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic was looking forward to playing against his former Carolina Hurricanes teammates. Now, he just hopes they aren’t too sick.…
"As far as those guys, I obviously played with them for a while to start my career," Nedeljkovic said. "So hopefully they're all doing well. Obviously they're sick but they're doing okay. They're battling and nobody's too ill."
Aho, Jarvis and a Carolina trainer are quarantining in Vancouver, and the other Carolina COVID listers are stuck in Minnesota. All the other Carolina players flew home to Raleigh. Barzal is quarantining in Detroit because that’s where he tested positive.
If someone tests positive this week, they could end up spending Christmas away from home and family.This is all a very messy situation. And no one understands exactly how the NHL decides on which games are postponed and which aren't.
To some, it's surprising Carolina and Detroit will play, given the combined number of cases. But Blashill said he believes there’s a process that is based on a medical review of the circumstances.
“I guess I’m relying on medical experts to say that it’s safe,… Blashill said. "We’re relying on them to be right. I certainly believe that their best intentions are that if they thought they were putting us at risk to spread it that we wouldn’t play the game."
But Blashill added: "Do I have trepidation? Yes. Am I torn a little bit? Certainly I want to coach and the players want to play, so I’m not torn that way but torn in a sense that I don’t want to expose our guys but I’m also relying that the medical experts certainly have our best intentions. I totally believe that and that they’re putting us in a safe environment. "
One factor in favor of playing was the Hurricanes had no additional positives today.
“Part of the problem when you’re sitting in my seat right now is I don’t have all the information." Blashill said. "I don’t know exactly when everybody in Carolina got the virus. I know a number of guys tested negative today."
NHL officials look at this as a medical decision, and medical personnel are consulted before a final verdict is rendered. They consider several factors.
"There’s a balance here," Blashill said. "It’s kind of like the balance we’ve all faced. You can shut down and not do anything and not spread it, or you can try to work within the parameters. I think that’s what we’re trying to do in trying to get the games in. I think that’s important, too."
It’s all important. The players want to play a full 82-game schedule. Their concern isn’t about their own health. All but one of the players are vaccinated. Generally, they are in good health. Most of them testing positive are having mild symptoms. Their concern is bringing it home to their family, to the people coming to their home for Christmas, to people they meet in the course of their lives. We’ve all heard stories about how difficult this can be on some people. Most of them believe that the NHL and NHL Players Association are trying to strike a balance between safe and trying to have a “relatively… normal season.
But even if you trust in this process, it doesn’t mean you can’t be nervous about what’s happening these days in the NHL.