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Kukla's Korner Hockey

Covid Protocols For This Season

by Paul on 09/02/21 at 07:07 PM ET
Comments (1)

Reading the NHL COVID-19 protocols, let's just say vaccinated and unvaccinated players will be treated very differently this season.

Different protocols, no pay if unvaccinated player gets sick, 50% of costs associated will be charged to players' share of HRR, etc.

NHL media that are fully vaccinated and masked will have access to players this season in the locker room, the NHL protocols say

Story coming shortly, but the NHL's COVID protocols for 2021-22 were sent out today. A key detail is a mechanism for suspensions to unvaccinated players who cannot participate in team activities -- on a per-day basis for as long as they are out. (There are some exceptions.)
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) September 2, 2021

added 7:10pm, from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet,

Quick Thursday evening blog: The NHL and NHLPA have finalized COVID-19 protocols for the 2021-22 season.

The biggest news is a mechanism for teams to suspend unvaccinated players who are “unable to participate in club activities.” This includes situations where a player cannot travel because of local, provincial/state and/or federal regulations “upon return.” Such individuals would “forfeit the equivalent of one day’s pay for each day” they are precluded from participating.

It’s a major development considering the Canada/U.S. border and different rules/approaches across the NHL’s North American landscape. General managers were warned about this possibility at their virtual meeting in July and began informing players about the possibility.

There are exceptions — unvaccinated status based upon medical reasons; a conflict with “sincerely held religious beliefs;” establishment “on the basis of a balance of the probabilities,” COVID-19 “arised out of the course of employment as a hockey player;” or quarantine because of being a high-risk close contact.

If a fully vaccinated player is confirmed with a positive COVID test, his condition “shall be treated as a hockey-related injury for all purposes” under the CBA.

Unvaccinated players who are not exempted for the above reasons will not be paid if his team establishes, “on the basis of a balance of the probabilities, that the player failed to comply with the terms of this protocol in a manner that was reasonably related to his contraction of COVID-19 and/or any resulting or related illness.”

Other notable points of emphasis:

continued

Filed in: NHL Teams, NHL Talk, NHLPA, | KK Hockey | Permalink

Comments

Michael Russo of The Athletic,

The biggest piece of news in the memo is consistent with what The Athletic reported was a possibility last month: Unvaccinated players won’t be paid for each day they cannot perform their duties. That includes if the player contracts the virus, is determined to be a high-risk close contact of a COVID-19 positive work-related contact, or if that player is unable to fly into Canada or other local and state jurisdictions because he’s unvaccinated.

This is why last month the NHL Players’ Association strongly encouraged all players to get fully vaccinated. As of Aug. 14, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic that in excess of 85 percent of NHL players were fully vaccinated. He didn’t have an updated percentage Thursday night, but he estimated in an email to The Athletic that number is now close to 95 percent.

The NHL noted that because the Canadian-U.S. border quarantine restrictions are related to a person’s vaccination status, unvaccinated individuals might not be allowed to travel across the border or could be required to quarantine, which would impact their ability to play in a game or practice with the team. It added that the league currently does not have an exemption from Canadian health authorities so current restrictions would apply to all members of the NHL traveling party.

The Canadian government recently opened the border to Americans or Canadians living in the United States as long as they’ve been fully vaccinated for 14 days and show proof of a negative test result within 72 hours of their arrival. Unvaccinated individuals who arrive in Canada – whether a resident or not – still must quarantine for 14 days.

The NHL and NHLPA will continue to review potential resolutions to this issue and any other governmental regulations that may limit the ability of players to participate in NHL games and will meet no later than Sept. 17 to discuss and bargain in good faith the possibility of pursuing a National Interest Exemption from the Canadian government.

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Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 09/02/21 at 09:32 PM ET

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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