The Detroit Red Wings have gathered in northern Michigan for training camp, and it was yesterday that GM Steve Yzerman revealed only one player on the roster hasn't been vaccinated against COVID-19.
The player in question is forward Tyler Bertuzzi. And due to his decision, should he remain unvaccinated by the time the regular season rolls around, he'll be ineligible to participate in his team's games north of the Canadian border owing to new health and safety guidelines put in place. In doing so, he'll forfeit a considerable chunk of his salary.
“The league has worked on protocols for vaccinated and non-vaccinated players that all teams and players are to follow,” Yzerman explained yesterday. “Tyler will follow the protocols for non-vaccinated players, most significant is as of now and the foreseeable future you can’t enter Canada unless you’re vaccinated. So that obviously will be an issue when we play Canadian teams.”
For Bertuzzi, it come down to personal choice.
“It went fine, it was good,” Bertuzzi said of his discussion with Yzerman. ”It’s a life choice, a personal choice. Personal choice.”
He also explained that he's discussed his decision with his teammates, with whom he won't be able to take the ice in Canadian cities.
“Everything is good, same as normal,” Bertuzzi said of his relationship with his teammates. And according to Bertuzzi, he didn't have to think twice about his choice.
“It was pretty set in stone,” Bertuzzi said.
