GM Benning: Vancouver Canucks will be 100% vaccinated by season opener
On the eve of training camp, Canucks general manager Jim Benning said the organization will be fully vaccinated by the time Vancouver opens the regular season on Oct. 13.
“So by the time the season starts, we will be 100 per cent,” said Benning. “Players, everybody on the staff, everybody in the front office, everybody’s been vaccinated.”
He said it wasn’t difficult to convince the players to roll up their sleeves. Most of them got sick with COVID-19 last season.
“What we went through last year as a team was really hard,” said Benning. “It wasn’t just hard on the players, but their families too. A lot of these guys have young kids and they all ended up getting sick. So I think as a group, they knew the importance of getting vaccinated and to give ourselves the best chance to get back to normal.”
Canucks forward JT Miller said, “I’m just trying to do my part. I got vaccinated, did what I had to come here and do my job, that’s what I get paid to do.”
Players must be vaccinated to cross the border into Canada without having to quarantine. The 15 or so NHL players who are so far refusing to be vaccinated, including Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi and the Blue Jackets' Zac Rinaldo, won’t be paid for games they miss in Canada.
An unnamed Edmonton Oiler is also unvaccinated. Oilers GM Ken Holland says by his calculation, he could miss more than 30 games in the U.S.
“I talked to him a few times, not sure where he is at. I’m going to talk to him in the next day or so,” said Holland, who suggested that player may not be able to slide back into the lineup for games he is allowed to play.
"If we are playing good, I don’t think you take somebody out to put that person in. So obviously its going to be very difficult,” said Holland. He hopes the unvaccinated player changes his mind, but isn’t preventing him from attending training camp.
“I think the player is going through a process to decide because it’s a difficult decision, so I want to give the person the appropriate time,” said Holland.
But the Columbus Bluejackets have told Rinaldo he’s not allowed to attend training camp.
“Everything we do together we do as a team, and as we continue to navigate COVID-19, it’s no different. We have to do what we have to do,” said Bluejackets GM John Davidson. “We have a responsibility as the leaders of the organization. We want our people vaccinated.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.