Duncan Keith Frustrated That He Had To Take Vaccine Just To Play Hockey

Duncan Keith took the COVID vaccine, albeit reluctantly.

The newly-acquired Edmonton Oilers defenseman talked openly on Friday about how as the Summer went along, he felt as if he was getting pressed by the NHL and NHLPA to take the shot despite his wishes.

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“It’s just one of those things where I definitely don’t expect you’re in a position where you have to make a medical decision just to play hockey,” Duncan Keith said to The Athletic. “I feel like that decision should be a choice.”

Keith says the travel regulations were a big part of his decision to get vaccinated.

— Reid Wilkins (@ReidWilkins) October 1, 2021

Duncan Keith would go on to say that he’s “excited to get going” with the Oilers. But he couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy with how the vaccination process went down during the offseason.

“It just seemed like as the summer went along, there was pressure from the players’ association to get (the vaccine),” he said. “It would have been nice to have a little more pushback from the players’ association to support the guys that felt strong in their belief for different reasons.”

At 38-years-old, Duncan Keith will now be tasked with bolstering an Edmonton defense that has proved to be an Achilles heel for a team with high expectations in recent years.

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