NHL teams to undergo enhanced COVID-19 protocols until at least Jan. 7

The National Hockey League and its Players’ Association have announced that teams will be required to follow enhanced COVID-19 preventative and detection measures through to at least Jan. 7.

The decision was reached after a massive rise in positive tests over the last two weeks, due in large part to the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The enhanced measures apply to both fully vaccinated individuals and unvaccinated players and are meant to prevent contracting or transmitting COVID-19 as well as early detection of any positive cases so as to prevent further transmission.

Many of the measures were part of last year’s protocols for players and all travelling team officials.

Players are urged to wear N95, KN95 or surgical masks rather than cloth masks. Club-organized holiday parties are not permitted, and all members of a team’s travelling group are prohibited from signing autographs or engaging with fans.

There is also a restriction on indoor dining prohibiting teams from eating or drinking at a restaurant that is open to the public.

Daily COVID-19 molecular testing will be implemented for all team members travelling while additional pre-game testing will be implemented on a case-by-case basis when a COVID-19 outbreak occurs. Symptomatic individuals will be monitored on a daily basis until they are symptom free.

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Despite the surge in cases among players and team staff, the NHL has stopped short of pausing the season, opting instead to postpone and reschedule games at this time.

More than 100 NHL players and coaching staff members have been placed in COVID protocols and 15 games have been postponed since Monday.

The announcement comes a day after the league shut down the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers because of COVID-19 concerns. The Flames have 32 people in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol including 19 players. On Friday, team officials reported no additional players or staff had tested positive. The team has had all its games postponed through Christmas and are next scheduled to play on Dec. 27.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report