Blue Jackets return after virus outbreak
It was almost inevitable. Despite adhering to the NHL'S health protocols designed to limit exposure to COVID-19, the Blue Jackets were forced to tangle with an outbreak recently that they said infected "several" players and halted workouts the past two weeks at Nationwide Arena.
The team's facilities reopened to players this week, but the situation is a reminder of the challenges facing teams and athletes across the sports landscape.
“For a little while, you just felt invincible,” said captain Nick Foligno, one of roughly 10 players currently going through voluntary workouts while the NHL and NHL Players' Association negotiate details of playing the 2020-21 season.
“We went to the (quarantine) bubble (in Toronto) and did everything we needed to do there in the summer and were really away from it all. … But this just brings you back to reality. We're living in a pandemic.”
Athletes are competing through it, including hockey players who successfully mitigated the impacts of widespread COVID-19 outbreaks during the NHL'S 24-team postseason format this summer.
The rate of infections at that time wasn't as high as it is now, though. The virus is spreading much faster in the fall, especially in the U.S., making events such as organized training in sports difficult to protect.
The Jackets found that out firsthand last month when their small-group workouts at Nationwide Arena and the Ohiohealth Ice Haus were stopped the week of Nov. 15-22. The team has not said which players tested positive or cited how many were infected, but those who were must pass a COVID-19 test and have a heart scan before returning.
Otherwise, it's a return to the protocols that were in place prior to the outbreak. They are similar to those adopted for Phase 2 of the NHL'S summer returnto-play plan that preceded training camps. The workouts are limited to small groups, players are required to wear masks – outside of their actual workouts – and two COVID-19 tests are administered per player, per week.
Players are also required to check their temperature at home and again have it checked upon arrival.
“It's no different from any other group of people, whether it's artists or scientists or other workers,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “Hockey players are humans, and even though we test them twice a week and have a very strict protocol, this can happen. It just goes to show you how quickly it can spread.”
In the summer, the protocols worked to perfection for the Blue Jackets, who didn't have a single COVID-19 case from start to finish. They weren't as fortunate this fall and weren't alone, as news of the outbreak in Columbus came out a day after a similar situation forced the Vegas Golden Knights to shut down their facilities.
“This is a real thing,” Foligno said. “You can't hide from it. It doesn't discriminate against anybody and I think we got a good dose of that as an organization. But I think everyone handled it really well.
“It also makes you realize there's only so much you can control. There's a lot of stuff out of your control, especially during a pandemic, so you just learn to control what you can and look for better days.” bhedger@dispatch.com @Brianhedger