Hockey receives the least recognition for the best COVID-19 response

Megan Suchet, Staff Writer

On Sept. 28, hockey became the first of the four big North American sports to crown a champion during the COVID-19 era, as Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history. 

In the wake of the global pandemic, which reached the United States in March, the National Hockey League (NHL) shut down. In August, 24 teams competed for the Stanley Cup during the postseason, though they returned to a vastly different environment. Two bubble locations were set up, with 12 teams from the Eastern Conference stationed in Toronto, Canada, and 12 from the Western Conference in Edmonton, Alberta. Once the playoffs reached the Conference Finals round, the remaining four teams played in Edmonton.

The NHL’s extensive plan to manage COVID-19 within these bubbles was broken down into four phases. A key aspect of managing the bubbles, according to NHL commissioner Gary Bettmen, was the cooperation with the Players’ Association, medical aides and health authorities, as well as the willingness of players and other personnel to adhere to protocols. With the exception of meals and games, everyone’s masks were on at all times. 

“People are not trying to get out of the bubble. They understand the importance of staying in. They also understand that if they leave they are not coming back,” Bettmen said in an interview with “Time” magazine.

Heavy criticism followed after the NHL announced that as of Sept. 28, 33,174 tests had been conducted in its bubbles. Many condemned them for the seemingly excessive testing with there being so many testing backlogs and shortages. Bettmen reassured everyone that their resources were paid for privately to ensure their testing did not interfere with the needs of others. It certainly helped that they were deliberately stationed in low COVID-19 areas, where testing was not as high in demand. 

Rounding up on almost four months in the bubble now, players are familiar with the ins and outs of playing during the pandemic, though that was not always the case. ESPN interviewed nine players, five from the Western Conference and four from the Eastern Conference, on their insights. One Western Conference player shared his appreciation for the ability to compete for the championship but admits most do not realize the emotional strain of life in the bubble. The isolation and grind coupled with the time away from family and loved ones in already stressful times were felt by many.

“To be honest, after the first few days, I noticed a lot of guys were more down than they usually are. Some guys were legitimately sad. It's not easy living like that for two months," the aforementioned Western Conference player said, who like the others, asked to remain anonymous.

Furthermore, the NHL reportedly promised luxuries such as fly fishing excursions and golf trips, of which they did not deliver. Many felt blindsided by the presentation of the bubble as a vacation resort. Additionally, internal jealousy riddled the bubbles, thus gossip about which team had access to the roof decks or had better food spreads ensued.

The NHL also fell short of its promise that families could join the bubble by Conference Finals. Close to the start date, they announced that they could not get government exemptions that would have allowed non-Canadians living in Canada to enter without a 14-day quarantine. Families were also expected to take care of transport, which meant either long hours of driving or a $50,000 private jet. In Orlando, the NBA had school provided for players’ kids, yet the NHL would not even accept the kids into their bubbles.

The true accomplishment, however, was the safety of the bubble, an outstanding feat amidst the chaos the virus has caused. Players reported feeling almost too safe, with security constantly checking credentials and Clear App, regular testing and “mask police” everywhere. The NHL’s remarkable success, however, has flown under the radar, especially at Samo, while other American sports make headlines. Samo junior William Kjenner-Love (’22), a life-long hockey player and fan, reflects on the lack of NHL appearance in news segments on TV.

“It’s always like that. The NHL doesn’t have nearly as much coverage as the NFL. But they prepared beautifully while the NFL is having [COVID-19] outbreaks so they’re forced to reschedule their games. Hockey is just more popular in Canada,” Kjenner-Love said.

The goal of this ordeal was to finish the season by awarding the Stanley Cup, so ultimately the NHL emerged victorious. Knowing all they know now, many players have expressed that they would not return to the bubble as is, however, they would be more than willing to work with the NHL to build a better one. Another appealing option was to fly in, play in an empty arena and fly out, if safe. No new expansion plans for the 2020-2021 season have been announced as of yet.