San Jose Sharks Coach Must Leave Staff Over Covid-19 Rules

The San Jose Sharks have to carry on without associate coach Rocky Thompson as he has to leave the team over the NHL's new vaccination protocols. 

Thompson released a statement about the new rules and his condition:

Due to a medical exemption that prevents me from taking the COVID-19 vaccine, under the new league protocols, I am not permitted to fulfill my duties on the Sharks coaching staff at this time. I will have no further comment on this matter.

The NHL's new rules allow for teams to suspend players who are unvaccinated if they contract COVID and miss time. As for Thompson he was the head associate coach for the Sharks and they have begun the process to replace him. He joined the Sharks in September 2020, and previously coached the AHL's Chicago Wolves for three seasons.

Thompson was an NHL defenseman who played four seasons, a total of 25 games for the Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames. Thompson was an enforcer and played most of his professional career in the AHL.

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