Calgary Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates a goal with teammates. Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

Flames' outbreak reveals scary stat surrounding COVID cases in the NHL

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 12/13/21

Before the current NHL campaign commenced, commissioner Gary Bettman said the league was down to its last four players who weren't vaccinated against COVID-19 on its way to full inoculation by the season-opener.

Since that inaugural puck drop between the Lightning and the Penguins, however, the NHL has seen a shocking number of players test positive and has had to postpone games in order to stop outbreaks from getting worse.

After the Calgary Flames became the latest club to postpone games due to an outbreak, Professional Hockey Writers Association president Frank Seravalli revealed in a tweet just how hard these outbreaks have affected the league.

With six #Flames added, that makes 123 #NHL players who have entered COVID-19 protocol this season - approximately 17% of the league.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 13, 2021

Scarier still is that the Flames' current six-player outbreak isn't even the worst to hit the league this year. The Ottawa Senators, the first team to have games postponed, had 10 players and assistant coach Jack Capuano test positive for COVID-19 over a 10-day span.

Of course, players who test positive are not necessarily symptomatic. Such was the case with the San Jose Sharks when seven players and three staff members, including head coach Bob Boughner, and a few members of their AHL club all had to be placed on the COVID-19 list.

"I say thank God for the vaccines because they worked," Boughner said, via the San Jose Mercury News. "I didn’t get sick and I could still manage my day and go on fairly normal."

As of now, the NHL isn't requiring players and personnel to get booster shots. However, it wouldn't be surprising if players choose to get boosted anyways -- particularly on teams who have dealt with an outbreak.

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