Could the H1N1 flu spoil 2010 hockey fever?
The National Hockey League regular season traditionally coincides with flu season and flu is one of the most common reasons for player absenteeism. Many teams have banned the sharing of water bottles to stop the spread of flu. The World Health Organization declared H1N1 a pandemic in June.
Colorado Avalanche Peter Budaj and Edmonton Oiler Ladislav Smid were among the first confirmed cases of the so-called swine flu during the young NHL season.
The 1919 Stanley Cup series between the Montreal Canadiens and host Seattle Metropolitans ended in a 2-2 tie because of the Spanish flu epidemic. Habs’ defenseman Joe Hall died of flu-related pneumonia five days after the April 1 cancelation.
The 2009-2010 NHL season is scheduled to be interrupted for the 2010 Winter Olympics. During a media scrum at the downtown Vancouver Bay store on Oct. 1, Hockey Canada executive director Steve Yzerman said there was no plan to prevent or mitigate the illness before or during the Vancouver Games.
“It’s something we should bring up, the flu or any illness that could hit the team at any time,” Steve Yzerman said in Vancouver after Canadian Olympic outfits were unveiled. “It’s something we should discuss. Most guys get a flu shot, some do or some don’t. Quite frankly I’m not sure throughout the course of my career that it helped or made any difference when I did or didn’t do it.”
