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NHL may need extra precaution to protect elder statesmen

April 30, 2020, 1:08 PM ET [3 Comments]
Kevin Allen
Blogger •HHOF Writer's column on the NHL • RSSArchiveCONTACT
When the NHL resumes the 2019-20 season, protecting players may not be as challenging as safeguarding everyone else in the league.

What we know about Covid-19 is that young healthy people, a description that fits almost every NHL player, have a high degree of certainty of surviving the disease. The death rate is less than one percent. But if a player contracts the virus he could be a danger to others. And the others include some NHL assistant coaches, coaches, general managers and broadcasters.

A question that has to be asked as the NHL develops a plan for a restart is whether it should be recommended that older team employees sit it out.

“I would have to say that we haven’t considered or discussed yet establishing any access or contact restrictions for Club personnel, other than related to cases in which there has been a possible exposure to the virus,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told Hockey Buzz. “We would likely vet all of these issues more thoroughly with our medical experts if and when we reach that stage.”

New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is 77. Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is 71 and Nashville Predators GM David Poile is 70. Dale Tallon turns 70 in October. Several GMs are in their 60s.

Dallas Stars coach Rick Bowness is 65, and Florida’s Joel Quenneville turns 62 on Sept. 15. Buffalo's Ralph Krueger, Columbus's John Tortorella and Montreal's Claude Julien are beyond their 60th birthday. Even commissioner Gary Bettman is 67.

No one in that group is going to want to watch the rest of the season on television. But according to the Center For Disease Control (CDC), eight of 10 people who die of Covid-19 are 65 and older. Good general health improves anyone’s odds of handling the disease.

But some team officials will have some difficult decisions about whether they want to live the biosphere-like existence that will be required to resume the season.

The same will be true for local broadcasters, and analysts, plus national broadcasters, some of who are in the higher risk ages. NBC’s multiple-Emmy winning broadcaster Mike Emrick is 72, and Mike Milbury is 67. Pierre Gauthier and Eddie Olczyk are both cancer survivors, which could increase their risk.

Would NBC consider broadcasting from a studio outside the arena? Too soon to tell what adjustments it will make, if any. Probably, the broadcasters themselves will have a say.

According to an NBC spokesperson: “First and foremost, the safety of our employees is always our top priority. Once we know the circumstances of how the games will be played, we will provide more information on how we will cover them.”
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