Bolts' families can't enter Canada for potential celebration after Game 4

Relatives of Tampa Bay Lightning players and staff who aren't already in Canada won't be allowed to join the team for a possible Stanley Cup championship celebration if it occurs in Montreal on Monday night.

The Canadian government won't waive its mandatory quarantine period for those entering the country and make family members exempt, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN's Emily Kaplan on Saturday.

The NHL and NHLPA reportedly requested as much from the Canadian government this week. The players' union wasn't optimistic the request would be granted, and with no agreement in place as of Saturday, the possibility of families being allowed to cross the border for a potential celebration after Game 4 on Monday was ruled out, according to Kaplan.

The matter could be resolved before Game 6 on Wednesday if the series reaches that point, but neither the league nor the union reportedly expects that to happen.

Beginning Monday, fully vaccinated travelers can enter Canada under certain conditions and may be exempt from quarantine. However, foreign nationals (including American citizens) hoping to cross the border for non-essential reasons will still be denied entry.

In June, Canada's lawmakers gave NHL teams travel exemptions for the final two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Clubs were given the go-ahead to cross the border without quarantining, though enhanced measures have been followed, such as daily testing and a modified bubble.

If the Lightning win the championship Monday, it will be the second consecutive season most family members haven't been allowed to participate in the team's title celebration. When Tampa Bay claimed the Stanley Cup in the Edmonton bubble in September, only Canadian family members living in the country could be present.

The Lightning lead the best-of-seven series 3-0.