Now, not only is there a plan in place, there’s a start date and everything else fans need to know.
The only catch is it’s all based out of Alberta.
The WHL announced Thursday that the league had been granted approval by the Government of Alberta and Alberta Health to return to play in the Central Division, with the season opening on Friday, Feb. 26.
The league will maintain their plan of playing 24 games, with the schedule to be announced at a later date.
The Central Division is comprised of the Red Deer Rebels, Edmonton Oil Kings, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers and Calgary Hitmen along with the Swift Current Broncos, who are returning to play in the East Division for one season.
“The WHL appreciates the support we have received from Alberta Health as we work towards a safe return to play in the province,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “With our extensive protocols and the necessary approvals now in place, we are looking forward to play getting underway in Alberta and allowing our players to continue their development at the highest level in the Canadian system.”
The plan for games is similar to that revealed by Moose Jaw Warrirors general manager Alan Millar earlier this month — and overall return to play set-up could be mirrored by the East Division in the near future.
That will take some time, though, as the current public health order sees the current restrictions in Saskatchewan remaining in place until Feb. 19.
Teams will play one opponent a week, with a five-day break prior to playing another opponent, with games only only on weekends and in a home-and-home format.In order to get those games in, teams will undergo heavily stringent preparation and testing procedures designed to keep players, teams and the Alberta community safe.
It all starts with a self-quarantine, which will begin Saturday, Jan. 30. Players will then report to their teams on Feb. 6, undergo COVID testing and quarantine for another six days. Pre-season training will begin on Feb. 12 at the earliest.
Testing is being provided by a private company in order to avoid strain on the public system; the testing regime will be the same as that used during the successful NHL playoffs and World Junior championships.
Players will use the WHL Athlete Remote Monitoring System Mobile application to track potential symptoms, with masks being worn by players at all times except when on the ice, while coaches will wear masks at all times regardless of the situation.
If a team has one or more players or staff test positive for COVID-19 at any point in the season, the club will be required to suspend its activities for a minimum of 14 days.
There will be no spectators permitted to enter WHL facilities.
The WHL continues to work with provincial and state governments to see play begin in the East Division, B.C. Division and U.S. Division, with approval from health authorities required for any return to play.
