Dubas: Leafs players, staff will be 100% fully vaccinated to start season

The Toronto Maple Leafs won't have to worry about the NHL's COVID-19 protocols for unvaccinated players this upcoming season.

"It will have zero effect on our team," general manager Kyle Dubas said on the "Bob McCown Podcast" Thursday. "Between players and staff, we'll be 100% vaccinated here right now, so we're good to go. So no impact on us."

The NHL reportedly sent out a memo to the league earlier this month detailing its COVID-19 policies. One of the biggest items is vaccinated players who test positive will be treated by the NHL as having a hockey-related injury in accordance with the league's CBA.

Teams also have the power to ban players who decline to get vaccinated if they can't take part in team activities, and players will be docked pay each day they're away from the club. That ban is extended to unvaccinated players who can't travel to certain cities due to local regulations.

The NHL sent out a memo in August stating that any person whose job requires them to have personal interactions with hockey operations personnel, including players, must be fully vaccinated. Earlier in September, it was estimated that 95% of NHL players were fully vaccinated, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.

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