Jets in holding pattern

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This article was published 10/12/2020 (1761 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They got the green light from provincial government and health officials this week. But the Winnipeg Jets are still waiting on an expected exemption from Ottawa, which will make it easier for players to start filtering back into town.

According to league sources, the Jets (and the other six Canadian NHL clubs) do not have permission to bypass the 14-day quarantine requirement for anyone entering the country from the U.S., Europe or anywhere else. With training camps expected to open by Jan. 3 in time for a Jan. 13 puck drop on a modified 2021 regular season, that’s left multiple players in a holding pattern.

For example, Jets forward Patrik Laine, who is currently in Finland, would be required to self-isolate for two weeks upon returning to River City. That would give him a deadline of Dec. 20 to be back here in time for the start of camp.

But that may be about to change, with the NHL in discussions with the federal government about changing the rules.

Sources say teams are operating under the belief they will get the same exemption that was in place last summer, which allowed players to return to their home hockey markets north of the border without the same restrictions governing other non-essential workers.

Instead, they had to follow a modified seven-day quarantine, which included having to pass four COVID-19 tests administered by team personnel every other day. They entered a second stage for the second week, in which they could leave their home but only for the purpose of going to the rink.

Such an exemption would give players until Dec. 27 to return to Winnipeg, allowing them to spend the holidays at their off-season home before jumping on a plane. Any family members who travel with them would not receive the same exemption and would have to do the full 14-day quarantine.

The protocols have been changed already for those coming to Winnipeg from within the country east of Terrace Bay, Ont, just as they were last summer. This week, the province confirmed players would not be required to do the 14-day quarantine required for regular citizens. Instead, they are required to follow the modified seven-day quarantine as described above. That would apply to a handful of Jets, including Mathieu Perreault and Nathan Beaulieu.

As for Jets currently in Western Canada, they will be subjected to more stringent protocols than a typical citizen. Manitoba doesn’t require anyone coming from British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan to quarantine upon arrival, but the Jets are insisting players such as Adam Lowry, Josh Morrissey and Laurent Brossoit will also have to abide by the modified seven-day quarantine.

The idea is to get every player on the same page, regardless of where they are coming from. Of course, that’s all contingent on the federal government agreeing to the exemption for international arrivals.

The NHL and the players’ association are still discussing various terms of the new season, with a deal expected to be finalized by next week.

The Jets are slated to play in an all-Canadian division, with a 56-game schedule against the Canucks, Oilers, Flames, Maple Leafs, Senators and Canadiens. Half of the Jets’ games would be played in Bell MTS Place without fans, while the other half would be played in similarly empty buildings. The other three NHL divisions would also be realigned for this season only.

The provincial government announced earlier this week the Jets could skate in the city, even though the code red status has shut down all other non-essential business, recreational activites and sports teams. They cited the team’s ability to control its own environment, including paying for and administering extensive COVID-19 testing, without putting the public at risk or tapping into local resources.

A few players, including captain Blake Wheeler and defenceman Sami Niku, are already in Winnipeg, with the rest expected to begin arriving in short order.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg