VANCOUVER — A COVID-19 test for a Vancouver Canucks player came back with a “false positive” on Sunday, leading the team to cancel training camp for the day.
The team said in a release Sunday it cancelled practice “out of an abundance of caution due to potential exposure to COVID-19.”
Coach Travis Green said Monday the team did not know whether the positive test result was false until after the player’s second test came back negative.
Green did not identify the player and the Canucks resumed training camp on Monday.
He said staff decided it was important from a mental health perspective to give all players the day off after the initial test result was received.
Canucks captain Bo Horvat said the experience was a bit of a wake-up call for everyone with the team and will act as a reminder that they all need to be vigilant going forward.
Vancouver was the first Canadian NHL team to close its facility due to COVID-19, but the Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins have all been impacted by the virus since training camps opened earlier this month.
The Canucks are set to open their season Wednesday against the Oilers in Edmonton.