With the 2021-22 National Hockey League season in full swing, a problem has arisen for the league’s plans. COVID-19 cases have begun to emerge among several teams, including the New York Islanders, knocking many players out of their lineups for several games. An early November outbreak with the Ottawa Senators was severe enough to postpone a week’s worth of games, and the Islanders are in the midst of one of their own.

Following the Islanders’ outbreak, several other teams are seeing issues as well. One of the team’s recent opponents in the Rangers placed forward Greg McKegg on the COVID list on Monday, November 28, and it’s unknown if further positives will follow. The Carolina Hurricanes also placed Tony DeAngelo and Brett Pesce in protocol Monday, and Boston Bruins Head Coach Bruce Cassidy was ruled out for Tuesday’s game. Add several other instances of players being placed on the list, and the league is in a difficult spot in the short term.

Due to the concerning rise in cases, the league modified its protocols to limit the spread of the disease. All holiday gatherings among teammates and public engagements were cancelled until further notice by the league on Tuesday. However, if these efforts are unsuccessful, should the NHL season on pause for a brief period of time due to COVID-19?

The Pros:

The main pro of the situation is for player safety. By pausing the season, not only could it minimize the spread of the virus among multiple teams, but most players impacted by positive tests could be cleared to return after missing minimal time. For example, for teams like the Hurricanes and Bruins, their main talents will be fully healthy and miss as few games as possible. However, Islanders General Manager Lou Lamoriello has mentioned that players have had mixed effects with COVID-19, ranging from asymptomatic cases to mild symptoms. Although potential breakthrough cases with lingering effects are fairly rare, it is best for the league to ensure all those impacted are 100% when they return.

The other piece to consider is the integrity of game as well. In some cases, the league can wait too long to put a team’s season on pause, as is the case with the Islanders’ outbreak. Despite missing three of their starting defensemen and their captain in Anders Lee, the league didn’t suspend their season until eight players and three off-ice personnel tested positive almost a week later. As a result, team played shorthanded for a week to some of the better teams in hockey, including the Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Rangers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. As a result, allowing players to get healthy is not only a case of looking out for players, but helping the integrity of the game by providing an even playing field for every team.

The Cons:

The obvious negative comes in the form of their plans for 2022. The NHL has agreed to send its athletes to Beijing for the 2022 Winter Olympics, and that apparent with a break throughout February. However, if the league were to postpone a two week slate of games, that scenario fills the entirety of that break, leaving players unable to participate in the Winter Olympic Games. The return of Olympic participation was a key goal the players were looking for in Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, and there will be much disappointment from the players and International Olympic Committee if they are unable to participate.

The other drawback of no Olympic participation is potential monetary losses as well. The NHL has gone on record acknowledging the money lost from its initial COVID-19 pause and 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but also not having fans for the better part of the 2021 season. By losing the fans for a short stretch of time, the league’s profit may stagnate, and this also applies for the Olympics as well. With the league potentially risking mass viewership and possible profits from its players on the international stage, the league may face a slight drop in income as a result. The pause may also risk the impact of an All Star Game, potentially risking money from viewership and attendance as well.

As a result, the league has an interesting decision to make if positive cases keep coming. Although the league may see the monetary downside of the Olympics and revenue from other events, player safety and health has to come first. With this in mind, the NHL taking a pause to its season to prevent further COVID-19 outbreaks may be in the cards if the situation worsens.

However, the situation is still very fluid at this point in time. The new protocols and further actions could very easily be successful in their efforts of limiting outbreaks. If they are successful, the league could not only maintain its initial plans of having Olympic participation, an All Star Game, and late June Stanley Cup Final, but keeping players safe as well. But, until that happens, the fate of the 2021-22 NHL season is still very much in question.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.