The current provincial health restrictions continue to put the Prince George Spruce Kings season on ice.
The BCHL season has been pushed back until at least the New Year, as the orders will remain in place until January 8th.
However, General Manager Mike Hawes would like to see one order amended.
“The fact that the 19 and 20-year-old players can’t practice with us, she has grouped all of those players in with the rest of adult hockey players in the province and I think she missed the boat on that one.”
As a result, the Spruce Kings management team made the decision to start the holiday break early for the vast majority of its players.
“Because of that (the age restriction on 19 and 20-year-old players) and add to the fact that 50% of our team is made up of that age group the majority of our players will be heading home in the next couple days for an extended holiday break.”
However, the league is examining the possibility of a bubble format in Penticton, similar to what was done in the NHL and NBA earlier in the summer.
“I am not going to comment too much on where that process is at but it is certainly a concept that the Return to Play Taskforce, which I am a member of has had some in-depth conversations and is an idea we are considering.”
According to the Taking Note blog from revered junior hockey reporter Gregg Drinnan, one scenario would see all players would spend January 15th to 29th in quarantine, then spend the 29th to 31st moving into the Penticton bubble.
From there, the league’s 17 teams would play between a 20 to 24 game regular season schedule from February 1st through March 22nd with a playoff tournament running March 23rd to April 2nd.
BCHL hoping to bubble up in Penticton in 2021 . . . Swedish junior star tests positive . . . Daum back in coaching game https://t.co/w9O9XmIhwG
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) December 6, 2020
In addition, the league will also be keeping a close eye on the Edmonton bubble for the World Junior Hockey Championship, which is slated to run from December 25th to January 5th according to Hawes.
“There are a lot of ideas and concepts in that hub and bubble that if we were able to move forward with one that we would transition into ours and their success can play a big role in our potential plan moving forward.”
“It might come down to that, and that is going to be determined by the Provincial Health Office and Dr. Bonnie Henry, and what she decides come January 8th is going to dictate a lot.”
Before play was halted the Spruce Kings had a pre-season record of 4-2-0-1.
The list of 19 and 20-year-old players for the Spruce Kings who are unable to practice are as follows:
- Andrew Seaman
- Christian Buono
- Corey Cunningham
- Darwin Lakodouk
- Mason Waite
- Rowan Miller
- Hunor Torszok
- Connor Bowie (on loan from PG Cougars)
- Cole Moberg (on loan from PG Cougars)
- Kolton Cousins
- Zach Gabruch
- Aaron Trotter
- Tanner Main
- Carter Woodside