The National Hockey League91Ƶs B.C.-born senior officiating manager is inside the 91ƵNHL bubble91Ƶ in Toronto now.
Rob Shick, originally from Port Alberni, crossed through the barriers on Thursday, July 23, and won91Ƶt come out now until the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs91Ƶpossibly not until October.
National Hockey League players began arriving in the twin NHL bubbles of Toronto and Edmonton on Sunday, July 26. Twenty-four teams will compete in a restart of the season, which was interrupted in March thanks to the coronavirus epidemic.
91ƵI91Ƶll be there until anywhere from 45-50 days by the time we get out of there,91Ƶ Shick said last week from his home in Florida.
91ƵI91Ƶll be looking after the officials that are in Toronto, then I91Ƶll be interacting with the coaches and general managers91Ƶall inside the bubble.91Ƶ
Security will be tight inside the two NHL sites, with security fencing separating NHL teams and personnel from the general population. Everyone inside will be undergoing daily COVID-19 testing.
91ƵOnce we91Ƶre in the bubble we91Ƶre not allowed to go out,91Ƶ Shick explained.
Each bubble will be self-contained, with 14 restaurants for players and staff as well as concierge service for players to receive delivery. An outdoor recreation facility has been created at BMO Field in Toronto, where the Toronto FC plays MLS soccer and the Argonauts ordinarily play their Canadian Football League games.
91ƵIt will be quite extensive,91Ƶ he said. The hockey arena where games will be played has been set up with 91Ƶ20 or 3091Ƶ cameras, he said, which will give fans watching on television a superior experience. 91ƵIt91Ƶs going to look amazing on TV.91Ƶ
Shick is the compliance officer for his group of officials, and must check in daily with the NHL to let them know everyone has had a temperature checked before they leave the hotel, have had their daily COVID-19 nasal swab and have been wearing their masks.
Shick should have been in Port Alberni earlier in July for the annual Charity Golf Classic at the Alberni Golf Club, which he started in 1994. He returns to play in it every year.
91ƵNormally I would have already been up there for the golf tournament, which is the highlight of my year: getting out of the weather in Florida, seeing friends and family, and raising money for charity. This is a different time and we91Ƶve had to make adjustments.
91ƵHopefully next year I91Ƶll be back up for the tournament.91Ƶ
The golf club hasn91Ƶt found a replacement for raising money for the various charities that benefited, including BC Children91Ƶs Hospital, said Gerry Fagan of the organizing committee.
91ƵWe91Ƶve had a few people from out of town show up who are regulars at the tournament,91Ƶ Fagan added. Former Alberni Valley Bulldog assistant coach Adam Hayduk, CTV Morning Live co-anchor Jason Pires, Ucluelet mayor Mayco Noel and Tony Powell91ƵShick91Ƶs cousin from Campbell River91Ƶhave all come to play golf this summer; 91Ƶthey all said that they missed the tournament,91Ƶ Fagan said.
Shick spent the early part of the pandemic at home in Florida, but said the resulting disease91ƵCOVID-1991Ƶhasn91Ƶt affected him personally beyond a seven-day quarantine. His wife, Lynda Frye, is a doctor specializing in women91Ƶs breast cancer, and one of his sons is also a frontline worker. 91ƵMy wife works in the (health-care) business so she sees more than I do, and my son is a firefighter now.
91ƵThey see more on the front lines but are fine for now.91Ƶ
Shick worked on nailing down the officiating side of the NHL restart and Stanley Cup playoffs. It91Ƶs been challenging, he noted, because there aren91Ƶt many direct flights to bring referees to the NHL bubble cities. 91ƵWe91Ƶve all had to have tests for COVID-19 before leaving. I91Ƶve had three tests in one week and will be tested again on a daily basis in Toronto. We91Ƶll be wearing masks. We91Ƶre settled right into a hotel.
91ƵIt91Ƶs going to be challenging, but at the same time exciting to get hockey on TV for everybody.91Ƶ
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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