The National Hockey League鈥檚 B.C.-born senior officiating manager is inside the 鈥淣HL bubble鈥� in Toronto now.
Rob Shick, originally from Port Alberni, crossed through the barriers on Thursday, July 23, and won鈥檛 come out now until the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs鈥攑ossibly 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.
鈥淚鈥檒l be there until anywhere from 45-50 days by the time we get out of there,鈥� Shick said last week from his home in Florida.
鈥淚鈥檒l be looking after the officials that are in Toronto, then I鈥檒l be interacting with the coaches and general managers鈥攁ll inside the bubble.鈥�
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.
鈥淥nce we鈥檙e in the bubble we鈥檙e not allowed to go out,鈥� 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.
鈥淚t will be quite extensive,鈥� he said. The hockey arena where games will be played has been set up with 鈥�20 or 30鈥� cameras, he said, which will give fans watching on television a superior experience. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to look amazing on TV.鈥�
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.
鈥淣ormally 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 we鈥檝e had to make adjustments.
鈥淗opefully next year I鈥檒l be back up for the tournament.鈥�
The golf club hasn鈥檛 found a replacement for raising money for the various charities that benefited, including BC Children鈥檚 Hospital, said Gerry Fagan of the organizing committee.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a few people from out of town show up who are regulars at the tournament,鈥� Fagan added. Former Alberni Valley Bulldog assistant coach Adam Hayduk, CTV Morning Live co-anchor Jason Pires, Ucluelet mayor Mayco Noel and Tony Powell鈥擲hick鈥檚 cousin from Campbell River鈥攈ave all come to play golf this summer; 鈥渢hey all said that they missed the tournament,鈥� Fagan said.
Shick spent the early part of the pandemic at home in Florida, but said the resulting disease鈥擟OVID-19鈥攈asn鈥檛 affected him personally beyond a seven-day quarantine. His wife, Lynda Frye, is a doctor specializing in women鈥檚 breast cancer, and one of his sons is also a frontline worker. 鈥淢y wife works in the (health-care) business so she sees more than I do, and my son is a firefighter now.
鈥淭hey see more on the front lines but are fine for now.鈥�
Shick worked on nailing down the officiating side of the NHL restart and Stanley Cup playoffs. It鈥檚 been challenging, he noted, because there aren鈥檛 many direct flights to bring referees to the NHL bubble cities. 鈥淲e鈥檝e all had to have tests for COVID-19 before leaving. I鈥檝e had three tests in one week and will be tested again on a daily basis in Toronto. We鈥檒l be wearing masks. We鈥檙e settled right into a hotel.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be challenging, but at the same time exciting to get hockey on TV for everybody.鈥�
susie.quinn@albernivalleynews.com
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