Jeff Teat returns to New York Riptide active roster
Jeff Teat (Photo: Ryan McCullough)
Although not published on the league site until the evening of January 3rd, the National Lacrosse League has confirmed via their official transaction page that New York Riptide rookie, Jeff Teat, has been moved from COVID-19 protocol to the team’s active roster as of December 31st.
The transaction page has also since updated the return of Mitch Wilde from protocol to the Calgary Roughneck’s active roster as of December 27th. Wilde was placed in protocol on December 17th. Away from his NLL career, Wilde works as a paramedic.
Teat was the league’s first player placed in protocol on December 10th and remained there for three full weeks. He missed two games for the Riptide over that time. Teat was named the NLL’s Week 1 Rookie of the Week.
It’s believed that most players presently in protocol have already met the requirements of ending isolation with the ability to be readded to their team’s active roster. While some protocol-placed players did show COVID-related symptoms, it is not believed any of the eight players who have appeared on the league’s protocol list have become extremely ill as a result of contracting the virus.
Due to player confidentiality and privacy, the league or its teams do not disclose the specifics about why an individual is in COVID-19 protocol.
Remaining players in protocol include: Cory Highfield (Dec. 12), Tom Schreiber (Dec. 18), Carter McKenzie (Dec. 27) and Cory Vitarelli (Jan. 3). San Diego Seals General Manager & Head Coach, Pat Merrill, is also presently in protocol.
It is believed other NLL players have contracted the virus over the league’s holiday break and postponed Week 5 action. Rochester Knighthawks captain, Paul Dawson, recently revealed on his podcast, Back of the Bird, that he tested positive for COVID. Similar to Dawson, The Lax Mag has learned that other NLL players have not only contracted the virus but have also successfully ended their required isolation over the past two-plus weeks of inactivity. Since a roster move was not required to address those players, their COVID status has not been confirmed via the league’s transaction page. While teams like the Toronto Rock and San Diego Seals have announced COVID-related instances, most have not.
The NLL has outlined the requirements for ending isolation in their COVID-19 policy & protocol document, indicating a player can end isolation, “If at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared, and at least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications, and symptoms.”
Last night, the NLL confirmed via media release and on social media that “we fully expect to return to play this weekend.”
Every team but the Halifax Thunderbirds and Teat’s Riptide play this weekend. The two teams were scheduled to face one another, but were forced to move that date due to new tighter gathering restrictions in the province of Nova Scotia. New York’s next game happens on January 15th when they host the Panther City Lacrosse Club.