Unvaccinated Columbus Blue Jackets forward Zac Rinaldo will remain under contract, but not play to start season

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced that forward Zac Rinaldo, who has chosen not to get vaccinated against COVID19, will remain under contract. But will not play for her or her AHL teammate at the start of the season.

Rinaldo, 31, signed a one-year free-agent contract for $ 750,000 with the Jackets during the offseason. But the team did not invite him to training camp last month, as he was the only player on their team who did not receive the vaccine.
“We will have 67 players in our camp. They will all have vaccinated,” team president John Davidson said at the time. “Everything we do, we do together as a team.”

The original plan was to send Rinaldo to the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. But after Rinaldo settled the waivers on Friday, the team announced that it would not place in the AHL.

“Our position is very clear: our organization committed to doing everything in our power to ensure the health and safety of our players, coaches, staff, and fans,” said the club’s general manager and deputy governor, Jarmo Kekalainen. .

“Given the impact of COVID19 on our communities, we believe the best course of action. Given Zac’s vaccination status, is not to report him to Cleveland at this time.”

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association do not have the mandate to vaccinate players. But has established protocols that encourage players to receive the vaccine.

For example, there is no travel exemption for unvaccinated players traveling to Canada from the US to avoid a 14-day quarantine. 4,444 teams have the option to suspend unvaccinated players who cannot participate in hockey activities without pay.

Rather than suspend Rinaldo, Kekalainen said that he simply will not play for the franchise at this time.
“While we respect a person’s right to make or not a personal decision regarding vaccination. We have a responsibility to do what we believe is best for our organization.

We will honor Zac’s contract, but if he has other opportunities this season, we will allow him to do so, “Kekalainen said.
Rinaldo, who signed for the Blue Jackets as a deep energy player, has appeared in 374 NHL games in nine seasons since. ,
The Blue Jackets would be his sixth team.