TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports some NHL players on Canadian teams have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dreger adds that no one is jumping the line as Canada's vaccine rollout is governed by regional and provincial protocols. Different provinces currently have different criteria of who is eligible to receive the vaccine based on age, preexisting health conditions, location of residence and other factors.

The Maple Leafs will get their first dose of the vaccine on Sunday. 

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun tweets that because Canadian team NHL players will likely have to wait until later in the summer to get their second dose, the current NHL protocols will stay the same for the seven Canadian teams for the playoffs.

TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli reported earlier on Saturday that the NHL is relaxing its COVID-19 protocol for fully vaccinated teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Seravalli writes the modified protocol will allow playoff-bound players greater freedoms with regards to masks, testing, team meetings, social gatherings and travel -- once 85 per cent of a team’s traveling party is fully vaccinated.

Seravalli adds that anywhere from five to seven of the 12 American teams will meet the league's "fully vaccinated" 85% threshold by the start of the playoffs.

And that as of Friday, U.S.-based teams ranged from a low of 0 per cent  to a high of 97 per cent  players fully vaccinated.

The majority of U.S. teams are around 50 per cent of players fully vaccinated, and that number would be much higher if you add in guys who are partially vaccinated.

The NHL considers 14 days since completed vaccination as "fully vaccinated."

 

The league has not made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for its players, coaches and team personnel.