While there are now four cases of NHL players testing positive for COVID-19, no individual has been named as of yet. However, a member of the NHL community has now officially been recognized as a victim of the Coronavirus pandemic. The NBA’s New York Knicks announced that owner James Dolan has tested positive for COVID-19. Dolan owns both the Knicks and New York Rangers and is the Executive Chairman and CEO of the Madison Square Garden Company.
Fortunately, the report indicates that Dolan, 64, is “experiencing little to no symptoms.” He and his family remain in self-isolation in their home in the Hamptons, while Dolan still continues to oversee business operations for the Madison Square Garden Company.
One of his recent decisions was in fact to set up the “MSG Relief Fund” to financially assist employees at this time, per The New York Post’s Larry Brooks. The company donated $1MM, which was then matched by Dolan’s personal Dolan Family Foundation.
The Rangers have not made an announcement of their own on Dolan’s condition, continuing a trend across the NHL of refraining from public comment on Coronavirus diagnoses. By all accounts though, Dolan is the first owner in the NHL – or NBA for that matter – to have tested positive for COVID-19. It is not believed at this time that any Rangers players have been tested for the virus.
While battling this sickness, Dolan is still undoubtedly one of the NHL owners lobbying for a continuation of the NHL regular season, if at all possible. While the Knicks are among the worst teams in the NBA, the Rangers had picked up steam before the league’s “pause” and were in the thick of the Eastern Conference wild card race. If the NHL was to jump directly into the standard 16-team postseason upon their return to action, the Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Florida Panthers would all narrowly miss the playoffs while – a worst-case scenario for Rangers fans – the rival New York Islanders would claim the final spot in the East.
I repeat sell the team
Shallow Al
He should fade away and classify himself as obsolete OBSOLETE! He should fade away I can classify himself is obsolete OBSOLETE!
@Al Hirschen – Sounds like *somebody’s” been watching one of my fave episodes of the Twilight Zone, starring Burgess Meredith Fritz Weaver. ;)
Errata: Make that “Burgess Meredith & Fritz Weaver.”
but people will still make it a debate over money.
Wow……can anybody simply wish the guy and his family “best wishes” and keep it moving? Wrong time to dog the guy for any other issues.
This is nothing compared to how many Senators fans would react if Eugene Melnyk caught the virus.
@layventsky – Man, you aren’t kidding! We might witness a first here on PHR: digital paper catching fire!
Fire Department on way Mac! Seen my video by Jeff Dunham and friends on Corona Virus , it is funny! Stay safe my friend.
You do the same, G! Hope all is well there!
link to youtube.com
Stay well everyone now for some humor
How was he able to get tested if he was showing no symptoms?
He’s probably been getting tested twice a day.
I’ve had very few dealings with him. He’s not a mess,but at the end of chatting with him,I couldn’t wait to get away from him.
@dave frost nhlpa – Sounds like you go into one of those, first looking for all of the exits out of the room, “just in case”, eh? “Sorry, Mr. Dolan, a family situation just came up, we’ll have to pick this up at a later date, OK?”