LA Kings Drew Doughty

By now, you all know that the LA Kings season and the rest of the league are officially on pause until Sunday, December 26. With COVID cases skyrocketing, I think most wondered – myself included – if the season’s resumption would be short-lived. However, the Daily Faceoff‘s Frank Seravalli brought up an interesting point.

The NHL’s COVID Protocol memo indicates that once vaccinated players test positive, they don’t have to be tested again for 90 days.

  • And sure enough, I dug up the official memorandum on the NHL’s media site. Here is what it says regarding further testing:

In the event that a Player or other member of Club Personnel has a confirmed positive finding for COVID-19 and thereafter has been cleared to return to play/work, ongoing screening with PCR testing is unnecessary for the next 90 days, as PCR-based testing results may remain positive for a prolonged period of time after resolution of symptoms, with unknown significance.

  • Obviously, there are some underlying concerns that vaccinated players could contract the virus again during the 90-day “testing holiday,” as the protocol defined it, and potentially spread the virus further. But for the sake of continuing the season, it’s certainly promising in that regard.
  • On Tuesday, the NHL and NHLPA reached an agreement that NHL players would not be participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The news is not exactly shocking, given all that is going on in the COVID world these days. And the three-week break in the schedule will be utilized for make-up games. The Kings will have at least two games to make up from this week.
  • Seravalli brings up an interesting tidbit, though – could the Olympics be postponed to next year altogether?

  • Team USA head coach Nate Leaman touched on the qualities that earned Brock Faber being named an alternate captain for the tournament:

“A quiet leader on the ice, leads with this play. Very good defender can really get up the ice with the puck. You know, I think off the ice he’s a big ‘glue guy.’ I think he really does a good job of bringing energy, he does a good job of getting guys together. I thought last year as an under-ager, you wouldn’t have known it. We kind of thrust him right in and, he and Jake [Sanderson] were kind of at the center of things with the team. So, I think his play speaks for itself, and I think that’s a large way of the way he leads with this play. But behind the scenes, I think he’s a really good guy at bringing groups and different groups of guys together.”

  • More from the World Juniors – the Alberta government has reduced capacity for indoor sporting events to 50 percent. It’s quite the blow for the sport and the IIHF as both, I’m sure, were hoping for packed houses. Here’s Hockey Canada’s official press release:

  • Back to some lighter moments around the league – the Penguins social media polled players with their favorite Christmas movie as they were heading onto the ice for practice. Former LA Kings forward Jeff Carter makes an appearance in here:

  • Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin accidentally knocked over a fan’s beer that was propped against the glass. Not to worry, he did right by the fan. What a cool moment:

  • Also, on that subject, several team executives still feel confident at this point that the annual event will still go on as planned:

  • ICYMI – Quinton Byfield was the latest LA Kings player to land in COVID protocol. However, per the aforementioned rules, when deemed fit to return, he won’t have to be tested for three months.

  • If you’re looking for some early Christmas presents for yourself and want to support us, check out the merch in our store. We appreciate each and every one of our readers. Thank you so much.
  • Might I recommend the #PlayTheKids shirt?

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