Article content
On the Oilers Now radio show, Oilers GM Ken Holland confirmed to host Bob Stauffer that winger Josh Archibald is the only unvaccinated player on the Oilers roster. Archibald has a one-way contract, with a $1.5 million cap hit. If he were to make the Oilers, and miss out on all games in the USA, he’d miss 30-plus games.
Advertisement
Article content
“It’s much more difficult being a Canadian team,” Holland said, with Stauffer pointing out the Oilers play 50 games in Canada, 32 in the USA this year. “Obviously we got to go back and forth across the border multiple times this season. Obviously it’s going to be much different playing on a U.S. team vs. playing on a Canadian team being unvaccinated.”
Here’s what Holland said earlier at his press conference about the unvaccinated player (whom he had not yet identified):
- Holland said he was still talking to the player (Archibald). “As the season starts I would anticipate we would have one player that would be unvaccinated.”
- Some NHL teams have banned unvaccinated players from training camp. Holland has not yet decided if the player will be welcomed at Edmonton’s training camp. “I think the player is going through a process to decide because I think it’s a difficult decision. So I want to give the person the appropriate time. I’ll see where I’m at a week from now, or ten days from now. But we’ll see.”
- If a player is unvaccinated and the team goes to the United States, he must quarantine when he comes back to Canada, Holland said. “It’s going to make it very difficult.” (On a side note, the Oilers most likely brought in forward Colton Sceviour as a possibility at forward).
- An unvaxxed player would miss about 30 days due to cross-border 14-day quarantines, Holland said, adding that the player might not be ready to play after being out, and if the team was going well it might not want to change the line-up. Oilers coach Dave Tippett and Holland met with the player and looked at how many times the team would cross the border this year. “It’s going to be very difficult.”
Advertisement
Article content
Edmonton recently brought in checking winger Colton Sceviour on a PTO. Sceviour is a similar player to Archibald, a checking winger who can play on the PK. If Archibald is sent to the AHL — and it’s hard to imagine that’s not now being considered as Plan B — that will open up an opportunity for Sceviour.
The Detroit Red Wings have invited unvaxxed Tyler Bertuzzi to camp, but the Red Wings only play nine games in Canada. U.S. teams have more ability to work with unvaccinated players than Canadian teams, which puts the Oilers and Archibald in a far more difficult spot.
Another option would be to trade Archibald to a U.S. team that doesn’t play many games in Canada, though I’m unsure if any team would take on Archibald at his $1.5 million per cap hit.
Advertisement
Article content
As for Archibald, let me repeat what I said in my last post, that I know what advice I’d give this player, that while there’s almost no chance he’ll get hammered hard by COVID, there’s almost no chance he’ll get hammered hard in any significant way by the vaccine.
With all that in mind, he should put his pay cheque and his family first.
That’s the same advice I gave to a vaccinate hesitant relative, by the way. In the end, but only after the vaccine passport rules came in Alberta, that individual decided to get vaccinated. That person is now at relative peace with their decision, despite the coercive new regulation that forced them to get the jab. I suspect this Oilers player will make the same call and get vaccinated, but I’m glad to see the Oilers are being patient with him, and as an Oilers fans, I’ll do the same.
Advertisement
Article content
There’s a huge amount of anger and intolerance directed at the unvaccinated right now. There’s a frenzy of fear and self-righteousness boiling up here, a dangerous combination. When I think of more lockdown measures of the fully vaccinated, I have felt some of that anger myself. But I try to control it.
Every one of us sees this pandemic through our own distorted and self-interested lens. We’re all trying to balance the possibility of different harms to our own selves and our families and community. I don’t see how turning on anyone helps in this situation. I see many hard and difficult discussions, as Holland is now having with his players, as the way to go. I applaud Holland’s patient and understanding approach.
P.S. Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV in Vancouver reports: “Alex Chiasson has signed a PTO with the Canucks.”
Advertisement
Article content
At the Cult of Hockey
STAPLES: Holland on Duncan Keith’s late vaccination: “It was a difficult decision for Duncan”
STAPLES: The single biggest wildcard on the Edmonton Oilers is…
McCURDY: Konovalov was great, the Oilers rookies? Not so much
McCURDY: Oil fans will have Kyle Dubas to thank if Petrov pans out
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMijwFodHRwczovL2VkbW9udG9uam91cm5hbC5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvY3VsdC1vZi1ob2NrZXkvam9zaC1hcmNoaWJhbGQtaXMtdW52YWNjaW5hdGVkLWVkbW9udG9uLW9pbGVycy1wbGF5ZXItd2hhdC1kb2VzLXRoYXQtbWVhbi1mb3ItdGVhbdIBvQFodHRwczovL2VkbW9udG9uam91cm5hbC5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvY3VsdC1vZi1ob2NrZXkvam9zaC1hcmNoaWJhbGQtaXMtdW52YWNjaW5hdGVkLWVkbW9udG9uLW9pbGVycy1wbGF5ZXItd2hhdC1kb2VzLXRoYXQtbWVhbi1mb3ItdGVhbS93Y20vYzIyZjZlNTEtZjgyYy00MTQ2LWIwNzktNmJhMjc5OTRhZWNlL2FtcC8?oc=5
2021-09-22 19:05:46Z
52781896707721
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar