[News] Flames have 20 players, 3 coaches, and 10 support staff in COVID protocol

[dissentowner]

For those speculating the players won't be going I would be absolutely shocked if they don't go. The players bargained hard for this and they have been itching to go back for years. I also think you will see some movement on China's part on quarantine rules for the athletes. Even if the players don't go they won't be playing hockey during the Olympic break, many guys who were not going to the Olympics have booked vacations or planned family events. Combine that with venues already having other things booked and it would just be a break from hockey. There is a reason when McDavid said he was concerned about quarantine rules he did not say he was not going, these guys have a lot of pride and playing in the Olympics for many of them is on par with playing for the Stanley Cup, maybe more. I think things would seriously have to come off the rails for the majority of players not to go.

[Press Level]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

Ugh. We need to start living with this at some point so why even explore that option? It is amusing that when this was Alberta's fate a few months ago there was no end to the criticism in the media, but now that Ont/Que are blowing up it's all crickets?

If severe outcomes are not becoming apparent as they previously were in past waves, you need to continue promoting booster doses and continue to enforce masking and keeping the unvaxxed locked down.

AB has not had a serious spike in months and all the while having 2 arenas at full capacity - fear mongering that this is somehow now a major concern is baseless until proven wrong.

Agreed. However, as another poster pointed out, this is all about hospital capacity. As long as the COVID patients stay out of the hospitals, don't expect restrictions to return. However, if the numbers really spike again, watch out. Unfortunately, even if omicron is milder, the sheer volume of new cases is likely to cause problems again.

[Hot_Flatus]

Originally Posted by Press Level

Agreed. However, as another poster pointed out, this is all about hospital capacity. As long as the COVID patients stay out of the hospitals, don't expect restrictions to return. However, if the numbers really spike again, watch out. Unfortunately, even if omicron is milder, the sheer volume of new cases is likely to cause problems again.

I don't think it can at all be said this is "likely" at all. It could happen, but I'm not going to even point in that direction until we start seeing hard evidence. Many of the European countries experiencing Omicron spikes had far less strict rules in place until now which has led to the quick spike.

More than half a million Albertans (most of which would be considered to be vulnerable) have already been boosted with a third dose. I have yet to hear of droves of fully vaxxed, let alone boosted individuals piling into hospitals anywhere in the world.

[Press Level]

Originally Posted by Hot_Flatus

I don't think it can at all be said this is "likely" at all. It could happen, but I'm not going to even point in that direction until we start seeing hard evidence. Many of the European countries experiencing Omicron spikes had far less strict rules in place until now which has led to the quick spike.

More than half a million Albertans (most of which would be considered to be vulnerable) have already been boosted with a third dose. I have yet to hear of droves of fully vaxxed, let alone boosted individuals piling into hospitals anywhere in the world.

Yes, it is definitely too soon to draw conclusions. Hopefully our higher vaccination numbers in this country can at least prevent hospitalizations, if not transmission.

[hwy19man]

I can see playoff hockey in July again the way all these postponements are happening.

[N-E-B]

I think this will just be the reality of the NHL for the next few seasons. COVID will be treated as injuries. Every team will likely deal with it at some point.

Cancel/postpone games and if you have to use points % as the deciding factor for playoffs.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Timing wise the NHL is kinda lucky. They can consider an earlier Xmas shut down and get back on track by not going to the Olympics.
Of course it calls into question the entire season if they can't control the spread, but that was always going to be a risk. This is an easier time to take a pause if they need to.

Kinda sorta.... except.for all the travelli g and mingling that goes on with Christmas could just come back and have another wave of players go into Covid protocol. Especially if they het 2 weeks off instead of 3 days.

[Knut]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1470966556293099520

Ummmmmm… not ideal. Poolman pulled mid game due to Covid.

[N-E-B]

It seems really odd and unlikely that all these teams are getting hammered today. Could there possibly be an issue with the testing that's leading to mass false-positives around the league? I have no idea if that's even possible, just speculating. Seems weird that it's all happening today to several different teams.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

It seems really odd and unlikely that all these teams are getting hammered today. Could there possibly be an issue with the testing that's leading to mass false-positives around the league? I have no idea if that's even possible, just speculating. Seems weird that it's all happening today to several different teams.

We are in the start of a straight upcurve of a wave.

[shadowlord]

Originally Posted by Knut

https://twitter.com/user/status/1470966556293099520

Ummmmmm… not ideal. Poolman pulled mid game due to Covid.

Incredible that the Canucks are screwing this up a second time in a year. Last time they acted too casually about it: They allowed a morning skate to continue after a player was pulled of the ice the day before with a positive test result. This year, knowing that teams they had recently played were experiencing increasing number of cases, they decide to soldier on when 2 players got positive tests.

And on top of that, our PHO Dr Bonnie Henry told the public in her briefing today to have smaller gatherings over the holidays while allowing this event to continue.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Knut

We are in the start of a straight upcurve of a wave.

that is kinda how these things go...that is why its called an outbreak

[Steve Macfarlane]

Hard to imagine Saturday's game will happen at this rate.
https://calgaryhockeynow.com/calgary...active-roster/

[GioforPM]

Posted in EING or OOT thread, but relevant here: Tippett is in COVID protocol.

[agulati]

Calgary Flames
Sean Monahan
Milan Lucic
Noah Hanifin

Carolina Hurricanes
Seth Jarvis
Sebastian Aho
Jordan Staal
Andrei Svechnikov
Ian Cole
Steven Lorentz

Boston Bruins
Brad Marchand
Craig Smith

Florida Panthers
Ryan Lomberg

NYI
Matthew Barzal

Colorado Avalanche
Devon Toews

Edmonton Oilers
Ryan McLeod
Dave Tippet - Coach

Vancouver Canucks
Luke Schenn
Juho Lammikko
Tucker Poolman
Brad Hunt

Philadelphia Flyers
Morgan Frost

Nashville Predators
Ryan Johansen

[agulati]

Such a long list, with some players being placed during the game. Don't know how we don't have a significant spike in other players on other teams over the next few days.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Plausibilities in contact tracing:

Canes bring Omicron to town.
Lindholm and Hanifin get together with their old teammates and bring it to the Flames
Marchand visits Looch picks it up, and takes it back to the Bruins

[jg13]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Plausibilities in contact tracing:

Canes bring Omicron to town.
Lindholm and Hanifin get together with their old teammates and bring it to the Flames
Marchand visits Looch picks it up, and takes it back to the Bruins

[joejoe3]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Plausibilities in contact tracing:

Canes bring Omicron to town.
Lindholm and Hanifin get together with their old teammates and bring it to the Flames
Marchand visits Looch picks it up, and takes it back to the Bruins

If you’re looking for work, AHS is hiring

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by joejoe3

If you’re looking for work, AHS is hiring

I thought they were making cuts