Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images
Late Tuesday night the Ottawa Senators confirmed that they had a player test positive for the COVID-19 virus – the first confirmed positive test for an NHL player. The Athletic’s James Mirtle subsequently reported early Wednesday morning that several Senators were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, and that it appears the team may have caught the virus from an NBA team, while on a recent west coast road trip.
According to Mirtle’s story in the Athletic, the Senators organization suspects that the infection occurred when the Senators used the same Staples Center dressing room as the Brooklyn Nets — the NBA team that has now had four positive COVID-19 tests — the day after they played the Lakers in Los Angeles.
The story was later corrected to note that the Senators and Nets did not use the same locker rooms.
The Brooklyn Nets and Ottawa Senators DID NOT use the same locker room at Staples Center. There is a visiting NBA locker room and a visiting NHL locker room. So while both teams played their last games at Staples Center last week they DID NOT use the same visiting locker room. https://t.co/hcjEwkGRFf
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) March 18, 2020
Regardless of which locker rooms were used, the fact remains that the Nets and the Senators, who both played their last games at the Staples Center prior to the suspension of play, have had players test positive for the COVID-19 virus.
In response to the positive test results by both the Nets and Senators, the Kings issued a statement Wednesday night.
Los Angeles Kings
“Since being made aware of the Ottawa Senators player that test positive for the COVID-19 virus, and understanding that we played them on March 11th, our senior leadership has been in contact with our key medical professionals, the players and staff, the NHL and our partners at Staples Center.”
“The health of players, coaches, staff members, their families and our community and society on the whole remains our highest priority. We will continue to define our next steps based upon the guidelines of the CDC and WHO, under the direction of our medical team.
As of this time, no current member of our organization has demonstrated any signs or symptoms consistent with the onset of the COVID-19 virus and we will continue to monitor this on a daily basis.
As of this time, no current member of our organization has demonstrated any signs or symptoms consistent with the onset of the COVID-19 virus and we will continue to monitor this on a daily basis.
https://t.co/VzmMSX66eu— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 18, 2020
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks, who the Senators played the night before the Kings game, also issued a similar statement Wednesday night.
The Anaheim Ducks are following the guidance of the Center for Disease Control, and other leading health organizations, and the National Hockey League following confirmation that an Ottawa Senators player has tested positive for COVID-19. Players from the Ducks have been under quarantine at their respective in or off season home since the NHL’s suggested guidelines were announced March 12th. No player in the organization has reported COVID-19 symptoms at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation regularly.”
Updated information regarding COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/Y2yS6B2gbu
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) March 18, 2020
The Capitals we’re set to host the Senators this Friday, March 20th, before the season was suspended on March 14th.
As of Wednesday evening, there have been no other (public) confirmations of NHL players testing positive for the COVID-19 virus.
By Jon Sorensen
