More than half of the Vancouver Canucks players tested positive for COVID-19, a source confirmed to ESPN. Additional names are expected to be added to the team’s COVID-19 protocol list, in addition to the 14 that appeared on Saturday.
Some players are symptomatic and, according to several sources, there are some who are in “difficult shape”. A Canucks player told ESPN that he had not heard from a team representative about any player going to the hospital, but he had heard of teammates receiving IV treatments for severe dehydration, presumably in their homes. A source told ESPN that at least three Canucks coaches have also tested positive for the virus. In addition, many players’ relatives have tested positive and are showing symptoms, according to sources.
“Fatigue, dehydration, the symptoms are intense,” a Canucks player’s agent told ESPN. “It left a lot of guys passed out. Some can’t even get out of bed.”
A source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday night that the most infectious P.1 variant of COVID-19, which was found for the first time in Brazil, was found among several of the cases affecting Canucks, the first known cases of the new variant among NHL teams this year. This news was first reported by Postmedia Canada. The Vancouver region has recently become an access point for the P.1 variant.
The NHL had initially planned to close the Canucks’ training facilities until at least Tuesday, with the team returning to action on Thursday. However, those dates must be postponed, as this is the worst spurt for a team in the NHL this season. The NHL is hopeful that the Canucks will be able to resume the game this season, although decisions will be made on the schedule in the coming days, as more information is collected about how players are recovering.
On Saturday, the NHL and NHLPA distributed memos to teams reminding them to stay “vigilant” and adhere to the guidelines agreed for this season – including wearing masks, even if individuals have been vaccinated, and not going to restaurants. Coaches were also reminded not to lower their masks to speak to players or officials at the benches during games, which has become common practice in the NHL this season.
The Canucks are the second Canadian-based team to have problems with the COVID-19. Montreal Canadiens had four games postponed at the end of March, but returned to play. The NHL has now postponed 45 games because of COVID-19, although the first 37 postponements were all for teams in the United States.
For Vancouver, the problem started on Tuesday, when Adam Gaudette was removed from practice after a positive test result, which was confirmed positive later that night. Travis Hamonic joined Gaudette on the protocol list on Thursday. On Friday, Alexander Edler, Braden Holtby, Quinn Hughes, Zack MacEwen and Antoine Roussel were also added to the list, after further testing and contract tracking. Gaudette’s wife, Micaela, tweeted on Thursday: “My husband is not doing very well, but I am taking good care of him!”
Micaela Gaudette also tweeted: “A human being gets sick with a virus that we don’t know much about and you are angry with him because you can’t watch a hockey game on TV” in response to criticism on social media.
Travis Boyd, Thatcher Demko, Jayce Hawryluk, Bo Horvat, Tyler Motte, Tyler Myers and Brandon Sutter were added to the list on Saturday.