The NHL has an unprecedented problem, and it needs to be dealt with in an unprecedented way.
It’s not fighting, it’s not concussions, and it has nothing to do with protecting star players; allowing them to thrive with stricter enforcement of the rules.
This is about protecting the NHL from the Mumps, a contagious disease that is spreading like wildfire in locker rooms from coast to coast. The disease, which symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, muscle pain and swelling of the salivary glands, has already been reported among nearly 20 players and two NHL referees, and the number continues to grow on a daily basis.
It has impacted some of the best players in the game, Sidney Crosby, Corey Perry, Duncan Keith and Ryan Suter have all been afflicted by the Mumps, and it seems to be getting worse.
So far seven NHL teams; The Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues have all have confirmed cases of the Mumps. That’s nearly a quarter of teams in the league. It also has impacted teams from coast to coast, and in between. Add that teams are having trouble pinpointing who is being afflicted with the disease, and you have a serious, unprecedented health scare with no end in sight.
Even as this article goes to publication, the Penguins are testing another player, this time backup goalie Thomas Greiss, after he now shows signs of the disease. That would add Greiss to the growing list of Pens players who have either shown signs of having the Mumps (Robert Bortuzzo, Olli Maata) or have officially been diagnosed with it (Crosby, Beau Bennett).
With more possible cases coming, and teams already taking extreme measures to limit the further spread of the disease, it begs the question: Is it time for the NHL to consider taking a hiatus until the outbreak is under control?
One possible option is to suspend all NHL activities including both games and practices while the league attacks the outbreak and eliminates the threat. The CDC reports that there is normally a 12-30 day incubation period if somebody is carrying the disease, so that would mean delaying the season for upwards of a month.
This is certainly not optimal for the NHL, its players, owners, or fans, but the question becomes, can the NHL afford to risk this outbreak getting even worse? With the disease spreading like wildfire, what happens when a franchise is unable to put a team on the ice due to an uncontrollable outbreak taking over?
Is it worth the risk? Can the league really afford to just hope for the best when it becomes clear they really don’t have the problem handled? It seems clear that detecting who might or might not be infected is difficult at best, and just when one player is in the clear, another is not.
The best solution might be to suspend all hockey games until after the New Year as a start. This would give the league an opportunity to confront the daunting tasks of disinfecting every NHL locker room, practice facility, and any modes of transportation used by the teams.
It would also give teams over two weeks to identify any additional cases, make sure everyone has been given updated immunization shots, and allow other players affected by the disease to get better.
Sure, this would be inconvenient, and it would mean pushing the season back a few additional weeks, but is the logistical nightmare of redoing the NHL schedule anywhere near the calamity of a highly infectious disease spreading from player to player and team to team, possibly decimating the 2014-15 season?
The NHL is facing an unprecedented problem and challenge, and the sooner they take unprecedented action, the quicker the Mumps outbreak can be overcome.
Photo Credit: CBC Sports
