The National Hockey League is switching things up with their COVID-19 policy again, as The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman are reporting that the league will no longer test asymptomatic players and staff following the All-Star break, provided Covid-19 rates continue to decline around the league.

The NHL and NHLPA will be meeting on January 31 to discuss any protocol changes. Current league protocols remain in effect until February 3. The All-Star Game occurs on February 5.

NEWS: Sources tell @DailyFaceoff that #NHL will no longer test asymptomatic players and staff following the All-Star break, provided Covid-19 rates continue to decline around the league.

Testing will only then be for cross-border travel (as required) and if symptoms arise.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 18, 2022

In addition, participants going to All-Star weekend (and their families) will be tested once prior to travel but will not be tested in Vegas unless they develop symptoms or require a test to cross the border back home to Canada.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 18, 2022

With the change, the NHL is moving away from trying its best to contain the disease and instead is adopting the mindset that testing is the problem. The NFL adopted a similar policy in mid-December only testing unvaccinated players and those experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19. The NBA has four separate testing categories based on whether or not a player is “non-fully-vaccinated, ineligible for booster, eligible for booster, and boosted”.

The move will keep more players in lineups but will disregard that COVID rates in certain parts of the United States are still rising with regularity.

The Capitals recently lost Dmitry Orlov and Carl Hagelin for multiple games due to them testing positive for COVID. Both players told the media that they were asymptomatic.

“It’s tough,” Orlov said.

“You’re missing games feeling really good,” Hagelin added.

It won’t be lost on many that this news comes a mere weeks after the league implemented enhanced protocols through the New Year, imposed a league-wide shutdown due to COVID-19 outbreaks, and came to an agreement to not send players to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

According to Seravalli, the league told teams that 73-percent of the league’s rosters have tested positive this season and approximately 60-percent have tested positive in the last five weeks.

Due to those rates, many games have had to be postponed around the league. Friedman reports that the NHL should be releasing a new schedule as soon as tomorrow to get new dates for those games.

The Capitals have games against the Flyers, Islanders, Senators, and Canadiens all needing to be rescheduled.

6 PM update: The NHL just made it official in a press release.

NHL & NHLPA Issue Update on COVID Protocol

NEW YORK/TORONTO (Jan. 18, 2022) – Following a meeting of their respective medical groups last week, the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) announced today the following updates to their COVID Protocol:

Five-Day Isolation Period: The isolation period Protocol update issued Dec. 29 appears to be functioning well in its current form. A significant portion of Players appear to be exiting isolation after five days, with a lab-based PCR test that has a CT value >30.

Testing Protocol: The plan is to continue the current testing Protocol through Feb. 3. Provided positive test results continue to decline within the NHL, and pending review and agreement by Jan. 31 by the NHL’s and NHLPA’s medical experts, the Protocol will be updated as follows:

i. There will be no testing of Fully Vaccinated Players and Staff during the All-Star break (including for participating Players and staff), unless needed for travel or development of symptoms.

ii. There will be a single test upon re-entry to Club facilities post-All-Star, after which there will no longer be asymptomatic testing, or testing of Fully Vaccinated close contacts.

iii. Thereafter, testing will continue only on a limited “for cause” basis in Fully Vaccinated Players and Staff who develop symptoms or require testing for cross-border travel.

iv. The post-COVID “testing holiday” will remain at 90 days, but symptom-based testing can still be done at the team physician’s discretion. Testing for cross-border travel post-COVID will be dictated by the relevant health authority, which is currently 90 days for entry to the U.S. and 180 days for entry to Canada.

Enhanced Measures: The current enhanced preventive measures will remain in place in the short term. The NHLPA and NHL will meet on Jan. 31 to make recommendations for relaxation of the enhanced measures, providing rates continue to decline within the NHL.

Headline photo: Pixabay