On Saturday morning the NHL and the NHLPA announced the re-implementation of enhanced protocols to deal with COVID-19. The new protocols, which resemble the rules from the 2020-21 season, will be in place at least until January 7.

The new protocols are a reaction to a disastrous week for league in which dozens of players entered protocol and multiple games were canceled.

From the NHL:

Given the increased number of positive cases in our League within the last two weeks, and
changing societal realities with the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, the NHLPA and NHL have
collectively agreed that all Clubs shall be required to follow enhanced preventative and detection measures (“Enhanced Measures”). These Enhanced Measures will remain in place through the holiday season and the New Year, and will be re-evaluated by the NHL and NHLPA medical experts on January 7th, 2022. The Enhanced Measures supplement the provisions set forth in the COVID-19 Protocol for the 2021-22 Season, and related memoranda issued since September 2, 2021.

The enhanced measures have two (2) purposes:
1. Prevention of contracting or transmitting COVID-19 infection; and
2. Early detection of any positive cases so as to prevent further transmission.

The Washington Capitals reported one new case on Friday, forward Nicklas Backstrom. Backstrom joins Evgeny Kuznetsov and Garnet Hathaway on the list. Several players still emerging from the protocol (Trevor van Riemsdyk, Nic Dowd) also remained in the US on Friday as the Caps traveled to Winnipeg for a 5-2 win. The Capitals have a scheduled day off on Saturday.

The full enhanced protocols are posted below.

1. PREVENTION

A return to preventative measures consistent with last year’s Protocols for all Players and all members of the Club Traveling Party. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Wearing masks at all times inside Club facilities and during travel, including when on buses, planes, and at the hotel (unless exercising, participating in a game, or eating or drinking). Please be reminded that federal law requires the wearing of masks when on charter flights. We have heard some concerns expressed by the charter airline carriers regarding Clubs’ non-compliance with this requirement and ask for your strict adherence to it. Club Compliance Officers are reminded of their responsibility to report all instances of non-compliance with the Protocol to the League.
• It is strongly recommended that you wear masks when in public indoor places in your community.
• It is strongly recommended that you wear a N95, KN95 or a surgical mask, not a cloth mask.
• Physical distancing for meals (at least one empty chair) in both at the Club’s home market and on the road.
• While on the road, a prohibition against eating or drinking in indoor restaurants, bars and similar establishments open to the public (including at Club hotel facilities) except in a private room or in a cordoned off area. Other diners may not be seated within 12 feet of the members of the travelling party, and serving staff must be masked when providing them service. While with the team on the road, other permissible options for dining are outdoor dining; eating and drinking in the Club’s private meal room at the hotel; ordering room service; and third-party food delivery services.
• Virtual meetings, or only brief in-person meetings in large well-ventilated spaces.
• Restricting access to the locker room and Player bench area while occupied by the Players and individuals in the Club Travelling Party, to only Players and members of the Club Traveling Party. Other individuals shall not enter these spaces even if Fully Vaccinated, while Players or other members of the Club Traveling Party are present.
• Avoid the use of public transportation.
• Both when you are in your home market and during travel, it is strongly recommended that the members of the Club Travelling Party (and their household members) reduce their interactions with the community as much as possible. It is also strongly recommended that you refrain from indoor dining in a restaurant or drinking in a bar (other than in a private room or in an area cordoned off from other patrons), or inside a home with others who are not in your household. Holiday celebrations, which typically involve eating and drinking while unmasked, raise significant risks and should be limited to the greatest extent possible. All individuals should limit both the number of people and the number of different households to which they are exposed.
• As a reminder, Club-organized holiday parties are not permitted, and until further notice, members of the Club Travelling Party are prohibited from participating in autograph sessions open to the public, public speaking engagements and public charity events.

2. EDUCATION

Renewed education (to be provided by Club medical) to Staff and Players regarding transmission of COVID-19, with specific emphasis on:

• A review of these Enhanced Measures.
• Emphasis on early reporting of any symptoms possibly associated with COVID-19, no matter how minor, to enable testing before exposure to other members of the Club.

3. TESTING

• Daily COVID-19 molecular testing (preferably, molecular point-of-care) for all members of the Club Traveling Party for the duration of the period during which these Enhanced Measures are in place. Other individuals who are in close contact with Players such as Massage Therapists, Equipment Managers, etc. — even if they do not travel with the Club — should also undergo daily COVID-19 testing when the Club is in market and under enhanced measures.
• Additional pre-game testing may be implemented, on a case-by-case basis, when a COVID outbreak occurs within a team, after consultation with the NHL and NHLPA.
• Consistent with the 2021-22 COVID-19 Protocol, symptomatic individuals shall be monitored with daily molecular testing until all symptoms resolve (to the satisfaction of the Club Physician).
• Notwithstanding the foregoing, there shall be no team testing of Players on their days off or of Players during the 90-day “testing holiday” following a confirmed positive diagnosis. A negative COVID-19 molecular test (laboratory or molecular point-of-care) is required before the Club Traveling Party and other individuals who are in close contact with Players can re-enter the facility after a day off from testing.

4. BROADCAST AND MEDIA

• All media/broadcast personnel are now required to be masked at all times when they are within 12 feet of Players (or other individuals in the Club Traveling Party), regardless of location (team spaces and non-team spaces).

5. PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES

• With respect to promotional video and/or commercial shoots involving Players and Club Personnel (including Player, Club and League sponsorships), in addition to the requirements currently set out in the COVID-19 Protocol, all personnel involved in the shoot who will be within 12 feet of the Players shall receive a negative COVID test the day of the event, prior to any such interactions.
• Any individuals involved in on-ice activities, anthems, and ceremonies who are Unvaccinated (including any family members involved in a ceremony, if they are Unvaccinated), who will be within 12 feet of the Players (or Club personnel), shall receive a negative COVID test the day of the event, prior to any such interactions.

6. ON-ICE OFFICIALS

• On-Ice Officials shall continue to strictly adhere to the Protocol requirement to wear a face covering at all times while interacting with team personnel (other than during Games when they are unmasked).
• On-Ice Officials shall physically distance from one another (at least one empty chair) for any meals they eat together.
• Meetings for On-Ice Officials shall be virtual, unless transitory in nature.
• Off-Ice Officials shall also limit their interactions within the community, as set outlined above.