26 NHL Players Have Tested Positive for COVID-19 Since Workouts Began, League Says

The NHL said 15 players participating in voluntary workouts have tested positive, and an additional 11 outside of the workouts have, too

NHL players. Photo: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty

At least 26 hockey players have tested positive for coronavirus over the past few weeks, with more than half of the cases coming from athletes who reported to voluntary team workouts, the NHL said.

Since allowing players into team practice facilities for voluntary, small group workouts on June 8, more than 250 players have opted to do so.

More than 1,450 coronavirus tests have been administered to those players, and 15 have tested positive, the league said in a statement.

The NHL said it is also aware of 11 additional players who have tested positive for coronavirus but who are not among those participating in workouts.

“All players who have tested positive have been self-isolated and are following CDC and Health Canada protocols,” the league’s statement said. “The NHL will continue to provide regular updates on the number of tests administered to players and the results of those tests.”

The NHL has been aiming to open training camps on July 10 — at which point it will be mandatory for players to report to their teams — though there is speculation the date will be pushed back, ESPN reported.

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The hockey season was suspended on March 12, though the league reportedly hopes to continue with a tournament in late July or early August that will feature 24 teams playing in two hub cities and without fans.

According to ESPN, the hub cities have been narrowed down to either Edmonton, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Toronto.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there have been at least 2.6 million cases and 126,161 cases attributed to coronavirus in the U.S., according to The New York Times.

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