Current projections from league sources say only about 10-15 skaters will be unvaccinated, from among the roughly 700 total players. The season starts October 12th, and while there is no league-wide mandate, players face the threat of not being able to cross the US-Canada border without the vaccine.
Unvaccinated players who cannot play because of Covid or border rules can be suspended without pay, while vaccinated players who cannot play because of positive test results will be treated as an injured player. Also, unvaccinated players will have restrictions while on the road (no cold ones with the boys) and both vaccinated and unvaccinated will be routinely tested.
Three teams — Calgary, Toronto, and Carolina — have confirmed all their players are vaccinated, and Philadelphia expects to be at 100 percent soon.
~Michael Patrick Day, Irish Proud & 12oz Sports Writer
Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/@sethhoffman
