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The federal government is preparing to approve the travel exemption for the Stanley Cup playoffs. If the US team abides by the strict COVID-19 daily testing program and enters the bubble including hotels and arenas, this will allow the US team to enter Canada.
Several federal sources said that this exemption will allow the winners of the NHL All-Canada Division and their American opponents to cross the border without quarantine in the Stanley Cup semi-finals and finals. The official announcement may be made as soon as possible this week.
TSN and Canadian Press first reported the details of the potential travel exemption.
Federal sources told CBC News that all provinces where the Canadian team is still participating in the playoffs have signed the plan. It still needs the approval of federal health officials before it falls on the desk of Federal Minister of Immigration Marco Mendicino for final approval.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in an email to the Canadian News Agency: “This work is in progress.”
Federal sources insist that the Canadian public’s health risks are low. Among the NHL athletes and travel groups participating in the team, the vaccination rate is very high. In Canada, all players need to be tested frequently, and the team will be forced to bubble between the hotel and the ice rink.
These rules are in addition to other public health measures imposed by the NHL on the teams throughout the season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Montreal Canadiens in the 7th game series on Monday. Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford announced Monday that it will allow 550 fully immunized medical staff to participate in the competition.
The winner of the game will participate in the Winnipeg Jets in the Northern Finals. The winner of the series will face one of the three US division winners in the league semifinals. The two semi-final winners will participate in the Stanley Cup.
If approved, this will mark the NHL’s first regular cross-border travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last summer, the NHL ended its season at the hubs of Toronto and Edmonton, and all American teams only crossed the border once before departure.
Before the transaction deadline in April this year, NHL personnel were given a special allocation and could only undergo quarantine for a period of 7 days. The federal government has also exempted the mandatory 14-day quarantine period. NHL athletes and team members will return to Canada in December to participate in the “reasons of national interest” training camp.
Moving to the U.S. was also considered by the Alliance
The NHL grouped all seven Canadian teams into one division, and they played against each other, avoiding cross-border travel this season.
The league has stated that if it cannot obtain government approval, it is considering relocating the Canadian division champion to the United States for the final two rounds.
In the best seven-game series of the playoffs, one team usually hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the other team hosts games 3, 4, and 6.
Other Canadian professional sports teams had to move to the United States to avoid cross-border travel.
The Toronto Blue Jays of the Major League Baseball team started their home games in Dunedin, Florida, and will start playing their home games in Buffalo, New York on Tuesday.
Major League Soccer’s Toronto Football Club, Montreal Football Club and Vancouver Whitecaps have moved to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Sandy, Utah, respectively.
The Major League Rugby’s Toronto Arrows are now based in Marietta, Georgia, while the NBA’s Toronto Raptors (Toronto Raptors) recently played in Tampa, Florida. ) Ended their season.
In the NHL, the U.S. team was allowed to be crowded throughout the playoffs. Habs became the first Canadian team to host a crowd on Saturday, when 2500 fans watched them defeat the Leafs in overtime.
This crowd is significantly less than the crowd allowed in most venues in the United States.
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