Buffalo, NY (WGR 550) - The Buffalo Sabres' 2020-21 season has been put on hold through, at least, Feb. 8 thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak with the New Jersey Devils.
The fact that the NHL let this happen is just another example of this league not getting out of its own way. There is no chance that last weekend’s series against the Sabres should’ve ever been played.
That is when the NHL totally dropped the ball.
When the Devils practiced on Friday, they had three players in the league’s COVID-19 protocols. Before practice, Lindy Ruff announced that Travis Zajac had entered the league's protocols, making it four players.
The league claims it didn’t postpone either game because there’s no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread by close contact in games.
Before Sunday’s game in Buffalo, the Devils placed player No. 6 in the protocols when Kyle Palmieri was scratched. Palmieri played in Saturday’s game, as did the eight players that have since been added to New Jersey’s list.
Buffalo saw its season put on pause because Taylor Hall and Rasmus Ristolainen were put in the league's protocols. There is no word if either player tested positive for COVID-19, or if the players are just flagged for having close contact with somebody that has tested positive.
Hall used to play for New Jersey, and it’s possible he could’ve gone down the hall to talk to trainers and former teammates. Contact tracing would’ve found that out and put him in the protocols.
The NHL clearly put the product ahead of the safety of its players. Of course they don’t want to postpone games, but player safety should be the No. 1 priority, and in this case it wasn’t.
The Sabres had questions on Friday and especially on Sunday, and got no answers from either the Devils or the league. General manager Kevyn Adams and others were extremely apprehensive about playing these games, especially Sunday’s, and there was one conversation with the league, but they downplayed the risk.
I’m also very surprised we’ve heard nothing from the NHL Players' Association. Their players were put in a dangerous spot, and they should be telling the NHL that there will be changes to the policies or there will be consequences. We do know the NHLPA was consulted about pausing the Sabres' season for a week.
Yes, players knew there would be risks to playing a season, and only Casey Nelson elected to opt out. What they didn’t know is the league would put them in harms way for the sake of getting two games played.
That is unacceptable.
