The way the league has handled this has been bush league. They should have taken a page out of the NFL protocol. Teams breaking protocol will be fined and draft picks taken away.
Postponed Games Thread
- Thread starter Evgeny Oliker
- Start date
JT Kreider
FIRE GORDIE CLARK
I cant believe that Palmieri played on Saturday and then 24 hours later he is on the COVID list. That is a serious flaw in the protocol. We will never make it through the season if that keeps happening.
It's no wonder many look down on the NHL. They are always behind every other major league. From the way they have handled Covid this season all the way to how they don't do enough to make their stars standout.
BowieSabresFan
Registered User
- Nov 18, 2010
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I agree with that, but it's a pity the NHL can't punish themselves. The way this was handled is embarrassing for the NHL.
It's an easy fix. If guys don't follow protocol they don't play and lose money for the games they miss. To punish teams, you don't postpone games but fill the team with taxi squad guys for the games.
ckg927
Registered User
And players should also be suspended for breaking protocol. Yes, that includes Ovie.
While you're at it....if you won a game while having players w/COVID, those wins should be forfeited. That would make Buffalo's 5-3 loss to the Devils on Sunday a 3-0(or 1-0)win.
That's assuming protocol was broken in the first place.
No other league forced forfeitures so that idea is not happening. The players union would never allow it, and quite frankly I doubt the owners would too. The only punishment you'll see is most likely fines.
Not only that, but an outbreak within a team doesn't mean protocol wasn't followed. The league will probably investigate. Following protocol is meant to minimize the chances of an outbreak. It can't 100% prevent them.
Taro Tsujimoto
Registered User
AfroThunder396
[citation needed]
Canes
Registered User
Wow, the Devils players must have gotten one of the newer mutations of the virus, which apparently spread a lot easier.
Blender
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- Dec 2, 2009
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Why? So far there is no evidence they did anything wrong. Blame the NHL for their protocols until there is evidence that the Devils or their players didn't follow them.
ckg927
Registered User
A few things:
1. Just because no other league forced forfeitures doesn't mean that the option isn't there. Look up Rule 66 and get back to me.
2. By "investigate", you mean "just sweep it under the rug"....RIGHT?
The NFL has fined teams for running afoul of the COVID rules and, in some cases, took away draft picks.
Brown Cat
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Can you post what the tweet said? For some reason my browser isn't letting me load tweets.
sabremike
Friend To All Giraffes And Lindy Ruff
Unless the Devils lied about the status of their players (and I haven't seen any evidence that they did) this is all on the league. It was 100% up to them whether the games were played and they allowed them to go on as scheduled.
the NHL can't just put down any sort of punishment (lost of draft picks or foriet of games for example) they feel like doing with out the owners and the NHLPA agreeing to it.
Most concerning for the league/sport is if you look at the players who were added to the list. They are all linemates with each other.
Johnsson-Hughes and Bratt have played with each other since Bratt became eligible to play last Thursday. Zacha-Zajac-Palmieri was a line the game before Zajac went on thee Covid list. I believe Zacha and Palmieri played with each other on Saturday. Smith has been a d-pair with both Severson and Tennyson the past couple of games.
Mcleod and Kuokkanen are also linemates. What is notable though is the third player on the line, Nathan Bastian, isn't on the protocol list. That kind of indicates that these other players added in the past two days are not on the list because of close contact, but rather because of positive tests. This means it looks like you are getting spread why on the bench as lines and pairings tend to sit together unmasked.
That sets up a situation where if you have a player who has the virus, is asymptomatic, but hasn't tested positive yet it can be spread quickly and uncontrollably across the team.
Johnsson-Hughes and Bratt have played with each other since Bratt became eligible to play last Thursday. Zacha-Zajac-Palmieri was a line the game before Zajac went on thee Covid list. I believe Zacha and Palmieri played with each other on Saturday. Smith has been a d-pair with both Severson and Tennyson the past couple of games.
Mcleod and Kuokkanen are also linemates. What is notable though is the third player on the line, Nathan Bastian, isn't on the protocol list. That kind of indicates that these other players added in the past two days are not on the list because of close contact, but rather because of positive tests. This means it looks like you are getting spread why on the bench as lines and pairings tend to sit together unmasked.
That sets up a situation where if you have a player who has the virus, is asymptomatic, but hasn't tested positive yet it can be spread quickly and uncontrollably across the team.
Ace
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- Oct 29, 2015
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From that Athletic article
“New Jersey’s Travis Zajac was added to COVID-19 protocol list Friday and did not travel to Buffalo. Kyle Palmieri played Saturday and was added to the list Sunday.
The Sabres, according to multiple sources, requested more information from the NHL and the Devils about the health of their opponent. Their request was denied.
The Sabres were wary about playing Sunday, having already faced one Devils player who went into the league’s COVID-19 protocol, but the NHL continued with the scheduled game.
On Monday, New Jersey’s Andreas Johnsson, Janne Kuokkanen, Michael McLeod and Pavel Zacha were added to the COVID-19 protocols after playing in both contests. The Sabres’ concerns were proved correct.
“Buffalo is furious with the league and with New Jersey,” a source said.”
....
Not from the article...from me:
the contact tracing system failed...the games should have been postponed. Then they refused to give Buffalo information requested and then forced them to play another game with even more people who had it and should have at the very least have been removed from contact tracing. And now they have it.
an epic failure.
Buffalo should raise holy hell about this in every Avenue possible. And the league has proven utterly inadequate at protecting its players and running the league during this. Shut it the f*** down.
“New Jersey’s Travis Zajac was added to COVID-19 protocol list Friday and did not travel to Buffalo. Kyle Palmieri played Saturday and was added to the list Sunday.
The Sabres, according to multiple sources, requested more information from the NHL and the Devils about the health of their opponent. Their request was denied.
The Sabres were wary about playing Sunday, having already faced one Devils player who went into the league’s COVID-19 protocol, but the NHL continued with the scheduled game.
On Monday, New Jersey’s Andreas Johnsson, Janne Kuokkanen, Michael McLeod and Pavel Zacha were added to the COVID-19 protocols after playing in both contests. The Sabres’ concerns were proved correct.
“Buffalo is furious with the league and with New Jersey,” a source said.”
....
Not from the article...from me:
the contact tracing system failed...the games should have been postponed. Then they refused to give Buffalo information requested and then forced them to play another game with even more people who had it and should have at the very least have been removed from contact tracing. And now they have it.
an epic failure.
Buffalo should raise holy hell about this in every Avenue possible. And the league has proven utterly inadequate at protecting its players and running the league during this. Shut it the f*** down.
- Jan 9, 2009
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It would be nice to see a running total on the first page listing all the postponed games.
Auto Pilot
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- Sep 7, 2019
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i mean the league letting a game be played hours after Palmieri was put on the covid list is just so irresponsible, and now two teams could have an out break.
tsujimoto74
Moderator
- May 28, 2012
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Per John Vogl (Sabres beat writer):
"A source says tonight's Sabres game is postponed and not weather related. The Devils, who are in the midst of a COVID-19-related outbreak, were in Buffalo on Saturday and Sunday. The NHL updates its COVID every afternoon, so we'll see if there's a connection."
"Source: 'Buffalo is furious. ... They asked for more info from the league and from NJ on both Saturday and Sunday when Zajac and Palmieri went out' and they didn't get it."
Yeah, I think we should put the pitchforks away for the time being.
Canes
Registered User
This is literally the league's fault. They chose basically the cheapest possible route that made them look like they care about testing and safety.
Apparently they don't do rapid testing of any kind...? That's just straight up being cheap AF.
Apparently they don't do rapid testing of any kind...? That's just straight up being cheap AF.
A few things:
1. Just because no other league forced forfeitures doesn't mean that the option isn't there. Look up Rule 66 and get back to me.
2. By "investigate", you mean "just sweep it under the rug"....RIGHT?
The NFL has fined teams for running afoul of the COVID rules and, in some cases, took away draft picks.
1. And every other league has a forfeiture rule in place as well. What are you getting at?
2. No I mean investigate. I don't know why you assume the NHL would just sweep it under the rug when literally no other league has. If the NHL finds something wrong, they'll hand out the proper punishments.
Do you actually have proof protocol was broken?
