Second Avalanche Player Tests Positive for COVID-19

Another day, another announcement from the Colorado Avalanche saying a player of theirs has tested positive for the coronavirus.

This one, though, was a little bit different:

The Colorado Avalanche were advised late last night that a second player has tested positive for COVID-19.  The player is in self-isolation.  All other Avalanche players, staff and others who might have had close contact with the player have been informed and remain isolated as per prior League direction and are monitoring their health and will be in touch with Club medical staff as necessary.  No other Avalanche player or staff member has shown symptoms at this time.

The previous release said the player had already “recovered” from the virus. This one does not. I’ve since heard through my own grapevine that the player is doing well physically, but I guess that doesn’t mean “recovered”, so we’ll just have to wish for that to happen if it hasn’t already.

Nobody knows where or when the players caught the virus. Was it in Los Angeles at the Staples Center, where eight of the first 16 pro athletes who were publicly announced as having the virus were at from March 7-11 – and where the Avs also played on March 9 against the Los Angeles Kings? Was it the day before in San Jose, where the Avs played the Sharks and where the SAP Center was closed down by authorities the next day? The Ottawa Senators played right before the Avs at the SAP Center, and two players from Ottawa have been disclosed as having come down with COVID-19.

There was a morning skate on that Sunday, March 8, in San Jose, and us reporters who were there were allowed into the locker room to talk to the players. (The next game, in LA, we weren’t allowed in). It’s been 20 days since that encounter and I know I haven’t had any symptoms. Let’s hope nobody else has/does either, and that this thing stops at the number 2.