Zac Rinaldo not invited to Columbus Blue Jackets training camp due to vaccination status

The Blue Jackets have a 100% vaccination rate among players invited to training camp, and they weren’t going to let Zac Rinaldo ruin it. 

Despite Rinaldo signing a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Columbus on Aug. 13, the veteran forward was not invited to camp because he’s not vaccinated. 

“We’re going to have 67 players in training camp, and they’re all fully vaccinated, which is really important,” Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said Tuesday. “It’s an important issue for us. It’s a team-first issue. We win as a team. We lose as a team. … Forward Zac Rinaldo, who we signed to a two-way contract this summer, is not vaccinated. Because of that, and that’s his decision, the plan is to start him in the American Hockey League and he will not be coming to our camp.” 

Rinaldo, 31, was signed to add organizational depth to the team’s checking forward options. He played last season for the Calgary Flames, skating in four games without recording a point, and spent most of the time on the team’s taxi squad. 

“We aren’t commenting on the matter at this time,” said Rinaldo's agent, Todd Reynolds. 

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The NHL’s COVID-19 protocols require coaches and all staff members to be vaccinated in order to work with players this season. Players, who are represented by the NHL Players’ Association, are not under the same mandate. 

Davidson and Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said the team decided to require vaccinations for all attending training camp and the NHL was consulted prior to issuing the edict. 

“We work closely with the NHL, and the NHL does their thing with the players’ association,” Davidson said. “The protocols they set up, we follow it to a T. We trust their judgement.” 

Zac Rinaldo: 'I’m not anti-vax, I’m not anti-mask. I’m pro-choice.' 

Rinaldo spoke at a political rally supporting People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier last week in Hamilton, Ontario. According to a report in the Hamilton Spectator, Rinaldo gave a short speech in which he opposed the idea of vaccine passports. 

“I’m not anti-vax, I’m not anti-mask,” Rinaldo said, according to the newspaper. “I’m pro-choice.” 

The Blue Jackets aren’t. They also fired assistant coach Sylvain Lefebvre last week because of his refusal to be vaccinated, replacing him by promoting Steve McCarthy from the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. 

“Everything we do, we do together as a team,” said Davidson, who mentioned that one of his daughters is a doctor who has informed him about the seriousness and severity of the pandemic. “As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 (pandemic), we have to do what we have to do. I’m proud of our group and I’m proud that they recognize how important it is for us to protect ourselves and others.” 

As for Rinaldo, he will be instructed to join the Monsters after the Blue Jackets begin to make cuts and AHL practices begin in Cleveland. Should he decide to get vaccinated, the veteran forward will be welcome to join training camp in Columbus. 

“The ball is in his court right now,” Kekalainen said. “As (Davidson) mentioned, we do everything as a team, and that’s a requirement to be a Blue Jacket.” 

Davidson expanded on the reason why. 

"When we think about vaccination, we have to think about our team," he said. "We think about our fans. We think about our players and their families. We have a responsibility as the leaders of the organization. We wanted to get vaccinated. We want to wear masks as much as possible. It’s just the way it is.” 

bhedger@dispatch.com

@BrianHedger