CRANBERRY TWP, PA (93.7 The Fan) – The Pens are well aware of the recent COVID issues in the NHL, their games Tuesday and Thursday postponed and likely next Tuesday's game will be or at least is in jeopardy.
The team also has defenseman John Marino on the NHL's COVID Protocol Related Absences list currently joining 39 other players. The league won't allow for the reasoning, so it's not clear if it's contact tracing or a positive test.
The uptick in cases has caused the league to limit arrival time before a game to two hours, have virtual meetings instead of in person, spread out lockers, wearing masks everywhere. Back to locking in on coronavirus protocols.
"Yes we have habits, but I don't think it's the end of the world to have to move a meeting 15 minutes or do a meeting on a Zoom call," said defenseman Kris Letang. "I think everything (they are asking) can be done. We just have to change things a little bit."
"We have to continue to be adaptable," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "We have to be willing to accept change."
"At the end of the day, this has given us a chance to play the sport we love and get a season in," defenseman Mike Matheson said of the restrictions. "I think we've been doing a good job of reminding ourselves of what it means. There are a lot of people around the world struggling a lot more to get through their day. For us to make sure to keep our masks on seems pretty minor to be able to go out and play hockey."
"The organization is putting in place all of the right things to be safe and just focus on hockey," Letang said. "We know it's something that could happen. There could be an outbreak. We try to be safe. We try to support each other and remind guys to wear a mask and try to sanitize as much as we can."
"It's tough you see it throughout the league right now. The league is doing the best it can to put us in a safe environment. I think we need to be extra careful, because we are not in a bubble."
