As it stands now, goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood is the only unvaccinated player on the New Jersey Devils roster.
That’s an important thing to keep in mind when you read the release from the team on Friday morning about him being unavailable for Thursday night’s preseason game.
Blackwood wasn’t able to be active for Thursday’s game against the Islanders as a precaution due to an inconclusive COVID-19 test. Subsequent tests have also come back inconclusive, making him a question mark as we get closer to the start of the regular season.
The final sentence of the Devils’ release about Blackwood’s status is telling.