The Prince George Cougars are back!
The Western Hockey League’s (WHL) COVID-19 return-to-play plan for its B.C. Division has officially been approved by the provincial health office after reports came out on Monday (March 1) of the decision.
A 24-game regular season will take place in a dual-hub city format with the Cats heading to Kamloops with the Blazers and Vancouver Giants, while Kelowna will host the Rockets and Victoria Royals.
The 2020-21 campaign in B.C. begins March 26, with a full schedule set to be released at a later date.
“The WHL appreciates the cooperation we have received from the Provincial Health Officer and health officials in B.C. as we work toward a safe return to play in the B.C. Division,” said WHL Commissioner Ron Robison in a statement this afternoon (March 2)
“With our extensive protocols and the necessary approvals now in place, we are looking forward to play beginning in the Kamloops and Kelowna Hubs. We are excited to now have all four WHL Divisions returning to play as it was our objective from the onset to deliver a season for all of our players.”
BREAKING: @PGCougars back in action March 26, 2021 🙀 WHL’s B.C. Division return-to-play plan is approved by the provincial health office for a ‘double-bubble’ format, no fans & strict COVID-19 safety protocols | #CityOfPG @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/UeH5JsxGx0
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) March 2, 2021
Players, coaches and staff involved will follow strict health and safety protocols, and no fans will be in either host arena.
The WHL explains teams will be allowed to travel between Kamloops and Kelowna, but there will be no stops in between the hub cities, players must wear masks when they're not on the ice and coaches will wear masks at all times, even on the bench during games.
"WHL players and staff from B.C. Division Clubs will begin self-quarantining on March 6 and then will report to their respective WHL Hub Center in Kamloops or Kelowna on March 13, where they will be required to undergo COVID-19 testing upon arrival followed by an additional quarantine period," the league says.
"Players and staff will then undergo a second COVID-19 test before being permitted to engage in any team activity."
DynaLIFE Medical Labs, who conducted testing for the virus during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and 2021 World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton, will be providing the PCR COVID-19 tests during the season.
Private testing will be done on a weekly basis and if one or more players are positive for the virus, the WHL says a team will suspend all activities for a minimum of 14 days
Cougars General Manager and Head Coach Mark Lamb spoke with Prince George media back on Jan. 11 about the 24-game commitment from the WHL and said that would be more than enough to have an exciting and valuable season for the players.
“The main process is getting them in a team environment and what they’re used to. All these players want to do is play hockey,” he said in noting that safety of everyone involved remains the top priority.
“You can see on the other side of the border, there’s hockey being played, and we want to do everything really safe. You know it’s a scary world out there right now, but there’s hockey being played and our players are no different. It’s going to be a shortened season, it’s not ideal, but it's the best that we can do under these circumstances.”
The WHL began its season on Friday (Feb. 26) with its five Alberta teams returning to action.
B.C. is the fourth and final division to be approved of a season, following the East Division, which starts its Regina hub on March 12, and the U.S. Division on March 19.
In its latest released player-screening figures, the WHL said it administered 481 tests for COVID-19 from Feb. 6 to 26 with no positive results.
The WHL suspended play last March in the final week of the 2019-20 regular season and the playoffs were also scrubbed.
Prince George’s last competitive contest was a 4-3 overtime triumph over Vancouver at the CN Centre on March 7, 2020.
- with a file from Cleve Dheensaw, Times Colonist
