Friday was supposed to be decision day for the B.C. Hockey League, a day the league was supposed to make the final call on whether to continue to pursue its plan to play hockey games this spring.
Now it appears the league is willing to extend its point-of-no-return date to the start the season at least until next week.
Still awaiting provincial health office approval of its latest return-to-play plan, the BCHL will hold off on making any drastic decisions while negotiations with health authorities continue and Prince George Spruce Kings general manager Mike Hawes has renewed optimism the league will soon get the green light to have a season.
“We’ve come this far, what’s another few days,” said Hawes, part of the BCHL’s Return-To-Play Task Force. “This was the day we were hoping to make a decision but negotiations have been ongoing and have been very positive to the point where we don’t want to throw in the towel. We want to continue the negotiations with the belief and the hope we’re going to come to an agreement and get our plan approved.”
The 17 Canadian teams in the 18-team league (without the U.S.-based Wenatchee Wild) had hoped to gather in Penticton to play all league games this spring at South Okanagan Events Centre with the teams living at the adjacent Penticton Conference Centre Hotel, but that return-to-play plan did not meet provincial approval.
A modified plan to create five hub cities was presented to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, who said Tuesday there were “a number of concerns identified.” The latest delay sparked reports that some teams in the league might opt out of the season rather than continue to play the waiting game.
The Spruce Kings’ camp was shut down for two weeks when several players tested positive for COVID-19, and everybody close to the team was required to serve a 14-day quarantine, which ended Sunday. The players resumed practice drills this week at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
“The last guy came out of quarantine on the 28th of February,” said Hawes.
