NHL insiders from The Athletic and Sportsnet are reporting that “some” NHL teams are being restested today after “inconsistencies in overnight Covid testing.” The league hopes that the positive tests are proven to be lab error/false positives by late this afternoon. The discrepencies are possibly affecting teams in the NBA as well.
The news was first reported by Pierre LeBrun and Elliotte Friedman.
Sources say some NHL teams are getting re-tested today after some inconsistencies in overnight Covid testing. The belief is lab error/false positives. The hope is that it's cleared up by late afternoon.
Believe it's affecting both some NHL and NBA teams.@TSNHockey @TheAthletic— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 19, 2021
The NHL is re-testing some of its teams after some of the COVID testing results came back last night. There is hope that they will be proven to be false positives. NHL might not be the only sport affected. We should know by later in the afternoon.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 19, 2021
ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski added that the tests affected “two teams in different playoff series that are both scheduled for this evening.”
On the NHL COVID "false positives" watch. Hearing it's two teams in different playoff series that are both scheduled for this evening. Keep an eye out for a statement from one of them soon.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) May 19, 2021
The first team was the St. Louis Blues.
“We have discovered discrepancies in Covid test results relating to multiple players,” Blues general manager said in a statement. “We have been in touch with and are working with the League to address these discrepancies with additional testing and expect to have further information later this afternoon.
“The League will provide a further update when we have more information. Head Coach Craig Berube and our players will not be available to the media until after tonight’s game.”
Blues President/GM Doug Armstrong has issued a statement regarding discrepancies in Covid test results relating to multiple players. https://t.co/a5bbwfYzXt #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) May 19, 2021
Other teams playing tonight include the Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, Winnipeg Jets, and Edmonton Oilers. The Colorado Avalanche, who also play tonight, were not affected since the Blues were the team that commented per Wyshynski’s reporting.
The only players who are currently in protocol, as of May 18, are David Perron, Nathan Walker, and Jake Walman. All three players are on the St. Louis Blues.
