Photo: Vancouver Is Awesome
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, 20 Vancouver Canucks players and coaches have tested positive for COVID-19. 14 players were listed on Saturday’s NHL COVID-19 protocol list.
The Brazilian strain of COVID-19 has hit the Canucks’ locker room and their players and coaches have vomited, cramped, and dehydrated. In addition, their family members have contracted the virus.
Chatted briefly with a couple people who are dealing with the current Covid situation with the #Canucks – it’s tough, some of these guys can’t get out of bed. “Absolute shock to the body.”
— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) April 4, 2021
Goaltender Braden Holtby, goaltender Thatcher Demko, center Adam Gaudette, defenseman Travis Hamonic, center Travis Boyd, defenseman Alex Edler, center Jayce Hawyrlchuk, captain Bo Horvat, defenseman Quinn Hughes, forward Zack MacEwen, forward Tyler Motte, defenseman Tyler Myers, forward Antoine Roussel, and forward Brandon Sutter were on Saturday’s COVID-19-related absences list. It is known that Gaudette and Hamonic are among the players that have tested positive.
This is the biggest COVID-19 outbreak that the NHL has seen within a team this season.
Boyd is on protocol after being claimed off of waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 22 and needs to self-quarantine before becoming available.
The team has not played since March 24, a 5-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, and will not play again until at least Thursday at the Calgary Flames. Though, that will likely be pushed back. The NHL will have to reschedule at least four Canucks games and have a week in between the end of the regular season and the start of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs as a block to make up postponed games.
The Canucks entered Sunday six points behind the Montreal Canadiens for fourth place in the North Division standings, though the Canadiens have three games in hand on them. They are currently tied with the Flames for fifth and have a game in hand of them.
Holtby signed with the Canucks as an unrestricted free agent on October 9 after 12 seasons in the Washington Capitals organization and backstopping them to their first Stanley Cup in 2018. Boyd spent nine seasons within the Capitals’ organization.
Chatted briefly with a couple people who are dealing with the current Covid situation with the #Canucks – it’s tough, some of these guys can’t get out of bed. “Absolute shock to the body.”
— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) April 4, 2021
By Harrison Brown
Now question that hopefully tracing will find out is “Where” did the variant get picked up? Was it from exposure @ arena or from outside team bubble(family,airport,public exposure(coffee shop,restaurant,etc.)). Otherwise thier may be several other teams wondering if they had recent contact if @ arena. With Canada currently struggling with lack of vaccines(lack of thinking by Federal Government!!),hockey has been one thing for people to focus on instead of Covid!
Yep, I’m sure they are thinking the same, Scott. It could come from anywhere. Hopefully they all can recover soon. As for the vaccines situation in Canada, I’m not up on the situation but have heard there is a problem. I hope that gets solved rather quickly. I know here in NoVa we are hitting high gear (finally). 4 million vaccines in the US yesterday is impressive.
Prayers to Vancouver, BC and all affected by this terrible virus.
Well vaccine situation in Alberta,where I live thier has been 100 thousand first shots,only about 10,000 + have had both shots & in a Province of 4.5 million people that’s piss poor! Other provinces like British Columbia have about same rollout with seniors being first served(which it should be),but know with variant hitting the 55 & under crowd being most affected. Not a huge Trump fan but @ least he had enough sense to order enough vaccine for every American at start of pandemic,not like pretty boy moron running this country that waited till half way through last year to order our supply. Right now were like the fat kid being picked last for Dodgeball !!
That’s surprising to me Scott. I always had the impression Canada was doing a better job with the virus. I also agree, seniors first. I don’t think the recent huge rollout has anything to do with Trump. He made a mess of things related to the virus. I think new President Biden has made it his mission, and so far I think he’s doing a good job, but we are in no way out of the woods yet.