The return of the mumps has caught some NHL players by surprise and they are counting on the league being better equipped to deal with the second such outbreak in a little more than two years.
“Well, it happened the one time, and guys were concerned about it and thought it was going to be kind of gone forever,” Buffalo forward Kyle Okposo said Tuesday. “I just hope it doesn’t reach us. I feel for the guys that have it. Just want to make sure that it gets as contained as we can this time.”
The latest outbreak began in Vancouver, where the Canucks announced last weekend defenseman Troy Stecher had been diagnosed while six other players and a trainer were showing symptoms.