Junior team's resiliency tested
If any squad can handle quarantine, it's the defending champion Canadians
Remarkably, because two players tested positive for the coronavirus at the Team Canada selection camp in Red Deer, there are those who think the IIHF should just call the entire Edmonton 2021 world junior tournament off.
How soon people forget. There were positive tests involving several NHL teams prior to heading to the hub city bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton, including players on the Tampa Bay Lightning team that went on to win the Stanley Cup. There wasn't a single positive test by any player on any of the 24 teams involved after they checked into the bubbles.
Yes, having a 14-day quarantine for the entire Canadian team at the Red Deer training camp is uncharted territory.
While Hockey Canada served up senior vice-president of national teams Scott Salmond and head coach Andre Tourigny to speak about the challenges that will be involved in dealing with teenagers forced into this situation, there was one other person involved in the Zoom call Thursday, and he was definitely worth listening to. That was Dean McIntosh, Hockey Canada's VP of events and properties.
“The plan we built in Red Deer was for a protected environment,” said McIntosh. “We are putting in place in Edmonton what I'm going to call a more secure bubble environment for the event. For the protected environment in Red Deer, we had players travelling commercially across the country. We put testing protocols in place, certainly, based on Alberta Health Services recommendations.
“But when you look at what we're going to do in Edmonton, I think those protective measures are much higher.”
The eight teams from Europe will, for one thing, fly to Edmonton sharing three charter planes.
“Those teams will be required to be quarantined and tested for seven days prior to travel and test negatively for those seven days. Then when we get to Edmonton, we have a threetiered approach. The players will be tested on a daily basis. The players will be in their rooms for five days upon arrival,” McIntosh said of the Dec. 13 opening of the bubble.
“They'll be in single rooms and they'll be tested every day in their rooms. The third approach we have, Telus has allowed us to power up and put into play for this tournament. What it does is allow us to know where everyone is at in the bubble at all times.”
And where does the government stand?
“I can tell you the provincial government is incredibly supportive right from the office of the premier to Dr. (Deena) Hinshaw,” said McIntosh. “They are extremely supportive of the event. And there are a number of reasons why that are key to discuss. First and foremost is that we have good players here, many of whom are in their 19-year-old year and will be in their final appearance. I think that's something the province realizes and recognizes.
“And I think the other thing is that we really have an opportunity to give Canadians a gift here at Christmas. We've heard a lot from the health authorities urging Canadians to stay at home over the Christmas season and what better way to do it than to watch 38 hockey games on TSN and RDS over 15 or 16 days?”