Flames GM Brad Treliving says COVID-positive players 'doing well'

Emily Sadler @EmmySadlerDecember 14, 2021 - 4:12pm

Flames GM Brad Treliving talks with the media about the team trying to handle more players testing positive for COVID-19.

Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving said all team members who tested positive for COVID-19 in the past few days are “doing well.”

Treliving addressed the media via Zoom on Tuesday in the wake of a series of positive tests — nine among players and one member of the training staff — that prompted the NHL to shut down team activities and press pause on the club’s schedule until at least Thursday, postponing three games.

Brad Treliving on #Flames in COVID-19 protocol: “Of that group that tested positive, obviously there’s wives, there’s girlfriends, there’s kids attached to those players. So you’re worried about everybody. That’s just how it is. But so far, they’re doing well.”

— Wes Gilbertson (@WesGilbertson) December 13, 2021

As Treliving explained, the Flames’ situation began late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, when results of tests performed earlier Saturday — prior to Calgary’s game against the Bruins, in anticipation of the club’s stateside travel for a U.S. road trip — came in and included three positives. Soon, that number grew to seven and on Tuesday, three more Flames were added to the COVID list.

#Flames Roster Update: Elias Lindholm, Andrew Mangiapane, Brad Richardson, Adam Ruzicka, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and a member of the training staff have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol.

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 13, 2021

#Flames Roster Update: Noah Hanifin, Milan Lucic and Sean Monahan have entered the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol.

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 14, 2021

All players, and the staff member, are fully vaccinated against COVID.

The Flames’ outbreak is far from an isolated incident in the NHL right now, with positive tests popping up more and more league-wide. Tuesday also brought news of another postponement — the upcoming Hurricanes-Wild matchup. In the past 36 hours alone, we’ve seen 23 players test positive around the NHL.

‘Too early’ to say whether Flames can return by Saturday

With three Flames games postponed this week, Calgary’s next scheduled matchup is a home date against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. With more tests popping up Tuesday and just four days separating the team from suiting up again, one of the biggest questions around the team right now is whether that game will be possible considering the current outlook of the organization.

“Too early (to say) probably. That’s the plan right now. As we learned the last couple years you stay limber and prepare to pivot,” Treliving said on the matter. “We’ll see how the rest of the week unfolds.”

Regarding when facilities might re-open in preparation for a possible game on Saturday, Treliving said again it’s simply ‘too early’ to know the answers.

“At what point is it determined getting them together you’re not putting them at further risk for spread? It’s too early to say. That will be determined by doctors,” he said.

Treliving said the team does not know what variant the Flames are dealing with, and whether it’s Omicron — the variant behind increased global measures and case counts.

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