Within the Islanders’ organization there is a lone, unnamed minor-leaguer who has chosen not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
As a result, Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said that player will likely skate in Europe this season. He certainly won’t don an Islanders’ jersey.
"Everyone in our organization, that is staff, coaches and players, are vaccinated," Lamoriello said on a pre-training camp teleconference on Tuesday. "We will not allow any player in our organization to participate unless they’re vaccinated."
Training camp opens on Wednesday with the first on-ice sessions on Thursday. The Islanders, who have been to back-to-back NHL semifinals before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Lightning each time, begin a six-game preseason schedule against the Rangers on Sunday at Madison Square Garden and the season-opener is at Carolina on Oct.