Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL relaxing COVID-19 protocols for playoffs, impacting Penguins

PITTSBURGH — The NHL is relaxing some of its COVID-19 protocols for the playoffs once teams have a certain number of players, coaches and staff fully vaccinated, and the Pittsburgh Penguins will soon be one of those teams.

The NHL announced once 85% of a team’s travel party has been fully vaccinated, some of the league’s COVID-19 restrictions can be eased. After Saturday afternoon’s 1-0 win over Buffalo, Head Coach Mike Sullivan said the team would be getting its second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday evening.

“From our players, coaches and traveling staff, we will be well over the 85% threshold that the league has set as far as loosening some of the COVID restrictions,” said Sullivan.

Under the NHL’s new relaxed COVID-19 protocols for teams who meet that 85% threshold, players can gather in groups of up to eight people outdoors. They’re now also allowed to go to restaurants with outdoor dining and can even play golf in a group as long as they remain outdoors.

When it comes to the practice facility, vaccinated players will not have to wear masks. Fully vaccinated players and coaches also will not have to be COVID-19 tested on off days.

“I do think it will provide us an opportunity to have more interaction,” said Sullivan. “When you look at the COVID protocols up to this point, by design, they’re set up to limit the interaction for obvious reasons.”

Sullivan also praised his team for how the players have adhered to the protocols this season. The Penguins never had their schedule altered because of a COVID-19 outbreak among their players.

“The players, once again, deserve so much credit for their discipline and staying with it,” said Sullivan. “We’re going to continue to stay with it until this team is fully vaccinated.”

Brian Dumoulin said Monday that while he has been able to see his family, recognizes that for his teammates, getting some freedom is huge.

“Them being able to get together with friends and family again and maybe getting to eat outside and try to have a social life a little more especially for the single guys its good and for the guys here whose families aren’t here and don’t need any distractions going into playoffs, it’s already its own entity in itself,” he said. “We’re going to do our due diligence and be as safe as we can but it’s good to hear they’re giving us a little more flexibility.”