The Toronto Maple Leafs will host 550 fully vaccinated frontline health care workers at Scotiabank Arena for their Game 7 matchup against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.
"Every single day our healthcare workers put their lives on the line to help others," Ontario Premier Doug Ford's statement reads. "This small token of appreciation doesn't measure up to the sacrifices they've made during COVID-19, but it is an opportunity for us to recognize their heroic efforts to keep each and every one of us safe."
MLSE, the company that owns the Maple Leafs, will cover the costs for the workers to attend and give each attendee a jersey.
On Sunday the province rejected a proposal to allow spectators into Scotiabank Arena for Game 7, according to TSN.
Fans were welcomed back to the Bell Centre in Montreal for Game 6 on Saturday, the first time a Canadian NHL team has permitted spectators at home since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The club won 3-2 in overtime with 2,500 fans in attendance.
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