Players blindsided by NHL’s new COVID restrictions

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This article was published 04/02/2021 (1675 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Andrew Copp fired the first angry blast and then passed to Mark Scheifele for his blistering shot at the NHL for some new in-arena protocols, implemented without warning Thursday to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The pair of Winnipeg Jets forwards, part of the committee formed prior to the season to help shape the league’s return-to-play guidelines, acknowledged they were blindsided by the revisions.

One protocol change, in particular, raised the collective ire of their union brethren — until the NHL softened its stance just hours later.

Initially, the protocol said players and coaches were “not permitted” in the rink more than one hour and 45 minutes before puck drop, unless they’re being treated for an injury.

But after heavy criticism the rule was revised, encouraging players “whenever practicable” to arrive no more than one hour and 45 minutes before puck drop, except to receive necessary treatment or “to engage in preparations in advance of the game.”

All team meetings must be held virtually.

Reacting to the original edict, Copp said the changing arrival times made no sense at all, and would have drastically changed players’ crucial pre-game routines.

“Nope, that’s not easily adaptable. I’ve already had a few phone conversations regarding that… really, really unhappy with that part of it,” said Winnipeg’s effective two-way winger. “Some of the protocols obviously in place like the virtual meetings, the spreading out guys in the room, I really understand that part. But not being allowed in the facility until an hour, 45? I mean, we got guys that show up here before 4 o’clock for a 7 o’clock game. It’s getting your mind right, it’s getting your body right to put out the best possible product for the fans and trying to lower injury as much as possible.

“This is pretty much the only place we’re allowed to come. We’re not supposed to go to each other’s houses, we’re not going to restaurants, we’re not pretty much doing anything, so the one place that we’ve made a safe space is the locker room and the rink and now we’re here in the morning for three hours, four hours, we’re going to be at the rink for another four or five hours tonight at least. I don’t see what the difference is between a 5:15 and 4:15 entrance for guys,” added Copp.

Scheifele followed Copp to the podium and was just as frustrated, making clear the proposed change would have severely altered the work day.

“I don’t think people understand the amount of work we put in to get ready for a game. Mentally and physically, you’re getting prepped. We all have our things we do to try to get our bodies ready for every single game, especially this tight a season. You need even more time. You need more time to get activated to play a game, and shortening that time is pretty insane, if you ask me,” said Winnipeg’s No.1 centre.

“For a guy that tries to take care of my body the best that I can every single day, you can’t expect guys to just throw on their gear and go play hockey. There’s so much that goes into it. I don’t think the average person sees how much effort and how much work we put in every single day to get ready for a game.

“That’s our job, we take it seriously. That change in time really does affect me and will affect pretty much every guy in this league. It’s really tough to see them spring that on us so quick,” said Scheifele.

The NHL has also mandated that all glass panels be removed from behind benches for better air flow, while reinforcing to its 31 teams to provide additional locker-room space to ensure players are staying six feet apart.

Indeed, the NHL is experiencing some concerning trends. Some 40 players were on the COVID-19 unavailable list Thursday and, currently, four teams — the Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres — have sat idle because of varying degrees of outbreaks.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars also had games postponed, while the Washington Capitals had an outbreak, too, that was self inflicted, but were allowed to keep playing.

On Thursday, the Sabres said head coach Ralph Krueger, 61, who hails from Winnipeg, tested positive and will enter virus protocol immediately. Vegas had three coaches in the protocol last week.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice, who considers Krueger a close friend, was pragmatic about the revised protocols.

“I truly believe everybody’s doing absolutely the best they can with the information they have. Not all solutions are solutions. It’s a step forward. It’s a step taken to try to fix something when you’re not 100 per cent sure whether that’s going to be the difference for you,” said Maurice.

“But you’re trying to fix a part of your game and that part is keeping players healthy. And I guess I’ve always had a bit of the philosophy that I’m going to let (the professionals) who study this their whole lives, I’ll just kind of listen to whatever they tell us to do and we’ll just do it.”

In the first three weeks of the season, approximately 90 NHL players have appeared on the list, which can include a positive test result unconfirmed or confirmed, symptomatic isolation, high-risk close contact or quarantine for travel purposes.

Copp said the Jets have followed existing guidelines to the letter and don’t require more restrictions on how they spend their time.

“There’s a lot that goes into it and obviously everyone’s just trying to do what’s best to get these games in and for the league. But I just feel like we have all these other protocols in place, and, at least here, we’ve followed them pretty closely that I think it’s unfair. I’m 26. The guys that are 36, older than that, they need time to get ready for hockey games. You can’t just show up and play.” 

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell