NHL reports zero positive coronavirus tests before travel to hub cities
It appears the NHL's return-to-play model is working.
The league announced Monday that zero players have tested positive for COVID-19 among the 4,256 tests administered to more than 800 players from July 18-25.
The announcement comes after teams traveled to their respective hub cities -- Edmonton and Toronto -- on Sunday. It also comes on the heels of Major League Baseball canceling the Miami Marlins' home opener against the Baltimore Orioles after the organization had 14 members test positive for the coronavirus.
While the MLB season is in jeopardy, it appears the bubble situation is working for a majority of leagues who were able to make it happen.
Major League Soccer announced Sunday that zero players and staff members had tested positive for the coronavirus from July 24-25 -- 884 individuals were tested. MLS players and staff members are residing at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin while they play games and practice at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, which also is on Disney property.
Similarly, the NBA reported zero new coronavirus cases last week after testing 346 players. The league's latest test results should come out at some point this week.
While the bubble appears to be working, it's nearly impossible for MLB to enact am isolation format. Each team carries 30 players, which is far more than the number of players teams in the NBA and MLS are allowed to have on their rosters.
The NFL will encounter a similar situation as the league prepares for the 2020 campaign. Teams in the NFL are allowed to carry 53 players, and a bubble situation is essentially impossible.
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