As Coronavirus concerns persist, the clock is ticking for unvaccinated NHLers to travel freely across the Canadian border. The Canadian Press reports that the country has decided to end its current leniency toward athletes and will enforce its national COVID protocol. Beginning January 15, unvaccinated athletes will not be permitted to cross the border.
The announcement of this policy change came on Friday, as Canadian Public Safety Minister Marco Mendocino stated that the border will be closing to unvaccinated and partially vaccinated athletes in the new year. It was Mendocino who worked through the details of the current national interest exemption, which allows unvaccinated professional and amateur athletes to travel across the border under conditions, but they will now repeal that agreement with the NHL, as well as the MLB, NBA, and MLS. While the stated purpose of the change is to align with the next stage of Canada’s COVID battle by improving vaccination rates, the requirement applies to athletes of all nationalities.
Fortunately, this should have a negligible effect on the NHL overall. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced at the beginning of the season that only four players on NHL rosters were unvaccinated. That number may need updating given roster transactions, but this policy change will still be of no concern to more than 99% of players. While the league has never formally revealed the names of those initial four names, Detroit’s Tyler Bertuzzi and New Jersey’s Mackenzie Blackwood had been individually confirmed and, if still not fully vaccinated, would not be permitted to travel to Canada after January 15 and per NHL rules could be suspended by their teams for those absences. However, those are the few cases of concern out of hundreds of NHL players, making this change of little consequence to the league.
Imagine Canada the land of full inclusion not allowing people in over vaccination. Hypocrisy at its finest
Imagine Canada the country with publicly funded healthcare not allowing a few athletes, who have made extremely poor choices in regards to vaccination, into Canada during a global pandemic.
It’s too bad the US is too stupid to protect its own citizens from antivax morons.
Right, a virus that effects very few people in the age range of NHL players should require multiple jabs. Big Pharma loves folks like you two!
Hypocrisy? In what way exactly? Sounds like you are taking some extraordinary liberties with your unimpressive attempt at a political jab.
I don’t think that word (hypocrisy) means what you think it does. Then again, we shouldn’t be surprised given your clear stance on the issue.
Hypocrite meaning they are only inclusive when it fits their narrative. Sorry your a sheep and lack critical thinking.
Judging by you simps you can’t understand what antibodies are meant for. With just over 99 percent of those infected not dying or suffering any real illness there’s no reason for a vaccine. The logic is baffling that some actually think if he all have the vaccine we will some how all be safe. Most vaxers are obese with prior issues, instead of getting on a treadmill they would rather get an experimentally vax with zero insight into what the long term affects are. That’s why there’s already a need for boosters, it doesn’t work.
Just live in a bubble guys or stay in your moms basement. The rest of us have families to feed.
“Exactly! Darn hypocrites.
Just like they are always talking about tolerance and inclusion but as soon as you show up in white sheets and a hood, they aren’t so tolerant or inclusive…HYPOCRISY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Inclusivity and whatnot usually refers to not rejecting people because of immutable characteristics rather than just accepting any and all chosen behavior.
Josh should take a trip to Portland, Oregon to get a dose of what his version of “tolerence” looks like.
… at least until you get COVID and die. Sounds like you’ve got just the right handle, imindless.
Again…taking some extreme liberties with inclusive. It’s ok to be wrong. You are against the vaccine, your opinion. Doesn’t bother me at all. You can believe whatever science you want and how it only matters in your orbit. However, the government has a responsibility to the entire society and they are doing what they think is best, their opinion, for their larger orbit of people more inclusive than just one. But calling them hypocrites over inclusiveness is wrong. Would they let in a serial killer that’s wanted for murder in the US? No they wouldn’t, stupid hypocrites. Would they let a leper in to roam the streets freely? No, what hypocrites. And it’s cool that you think of life so little that if only 1% dies you should be able to do as you choose. Canada has a population of 38 million. 3.8 million lives they are trying to protect based on your examples. What hypocrites! How can they put those lives over some wealthy athlete who wants to play a game….THOSE HYPOCRITES…BAAHHHH, that’s me being a sheep
Correction: 380,000 lives.
@igivenofox does the Canadian govt prevent unvaxxinated migrants from coming in? “We’re deeply commited to stopping the spread of the virus… unless you want our citizenship” Def not hypocrisy
Blackwood has been confirmed as being vaccinated (at least one dose) via NHL.com almost a month ago.
https://www.nhl.com/devils/news/blackwood-on-his-decision-to-get-vaccinated–blog/c-327365328
It’s also been reported as early as September 22 that Ylonen was getting vaccinated. Reported by numerous including Renaud Lavoie and La Presse
Great that you corrected the Ylonen part, but everything that is being reported is that Blackwood is on pace to be able to play in Winnipeg on December 3rd. This has been reported by Sportsnet, ESPN, and Corey Masiak of the Athletic among others putting his second dose at least at November 18th. There’s more signs pointing to him being fully vaccinated than not so including him in speculation alongside Bertuzzi is a misrepresentation of his vaccine status and stance. There’s nothing to suggest that Blackwood would be impacted by this Jan 15th deadline.
This is how we get the Blue Jays to 110 wins.
I was going to comment that this changes nothing, as the two week quarantine was already keeping Tyler Bertuzzi out of Canada as if he were Bob Probert.
Forgot about the Jays and MLB, that could be a huge advantage for them, you are right.
Blackwood and ylonen both were vaccinated awhile ago. Bertuzzi is the only one that is not
Cooties19 isn’t killing anyone
Good. Athletes should be treated the same as everyone else.
Agreed. Whether you like the policy or not, it’s pretty ridiculous to have an exemption for something as inconsequential as sports. Luckily for the NHL though it will have almost zero impact on them anyways.
Hannibal. What is it that your “antivax morons” are causing, that the citizens should be protected from, exactly?
All of the statistics show that vaccinated people spread the virus just the same as the non vaccinated.
Uhh, that’d be NONE of the statistics show that.
@nha…you are about as mis-informed as it comes. just STOP watching and reading the propaganda arm of the pedophile trudo gov (citytv, ctv, cbc, torstar, GandM, etc etc etc)
Damn guys i’m really sorry. All that time i thought i was fighting a bunch of far left lunatics but i was wrong… They were just… Canadian. I honestly would never ever engage in confrontation of any kind with a canadian person just as i’d never fight a person with down syndrome… Its just not fair. I mean just look at their pm and what a mockery he is for the rest of the world. I’d be as miserable and angry if i was represented by such a fool…oh wait
@dannyDK…your former leader, hussein o’bama, flew up here in his carbon emitting personal jet, with his entourage of secret service, to throw his support behind the pedo trudo…not once for just the last fed election but the past two fed elections. communist have to stick together
I’m not a fan of ANY prof politicians it’s pretty evident. With these two my guess is that Trudeau just loves to give his lovely wife treats every now and then like giving her a taste of some Obama. I mean we all know what neo lib commies sex life tendencies are