The WHL announced that 15 clubs have paused team activities as a result of multiple players and staff being added to the COVID-19 protocol list, due to testing positive or exhibiting symptoms related to the coronavirus.
Of the league’s 22 teams, only the Brandon Wheat Kings have escaped an outbreak in the Eastern Conference so far. The Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge Hurricanes were both removed from COVID protocols on Friday, leaving the conference with three teams currently active.
Over in the Western Conference, the Seattle Thunderbirds, Portland Winterhawks, Kelowna Rockets and Vancouver Giants are the only teams that remain in action.
With the nearly league-wide pause, the Moose Jaw Warriors have seen a fourth game postponed, with their contest on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at home against the Calgary Hitmen now to be played at a later date. Other games pushed back include their Jan. 3 match-up in Winnipeg, Jan, 7 game in Lethbridge and Jan. 8 contest in Medicine Hat. The game on Friday, Jan 14 at home against the Tigers remains on the schedule.
The Warriors reminded fans in a press release on Friday to hold all purchased tickets for those contests, as they will be honoured on the rescheduled date.
Only two games remain in the WHL schedule this weekend -- Portland at Kelowna on Saturday and Portland at Vancouver on Sunday -- but both those contests are threatened by a winter storm currently hitting the west coast.
All four games scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 11 have also been postponed.
How WHL COVID-19 protocols work
Training staff on WHL clubs monitor players and hockey operations staff on a daily basis for symptoms, and if found, individuals take a rapid antigen test and immediately isolate. A positive antigen test is followed by a PCR test and the next steps.
If multiple antigen tests come back positive, all team activities are paused immediately. This is what happened with the Moose Jaw Warriors earlier this week, resulting in the team shutting down on Tuesday morning.
The entire team then takes a round of PCR testing and isolate until results are received and reviewed by the WHL Chief Medical Health Officer. From there, each situation is examined on a case-by-case basis that includes travel, recent schedule and potential exposures that have occurred.
Once testing has proven a team is out of danger from COVID-19, team activities can resume.
Good news
In addition to the Hurricanes and Broncos being cleared to return to action, the league also announced that several teams will soon be cleared. And -- most importantly -- that the postponed games will be played, no matter what.
“The WHL and our member clubs remain fully committed to playing through the 68-game WHL regular season schedule and playoffs,” said WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “As we work through the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our priority continues to be to deliver a world-class development experience for WHL players, staff, and officials, and to do so in a safe and healthy manner. On behalf of the entire WHL, I wish to thank WHL fans and WHL corporate partners everywhere for their patience as we work to reschedule games in the coming weeks.”
For the latest information on the WHL, including rescheduled contests, be sure to visit www.whl.ca.
