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Spruce Kings await PHO decision, add d-man Wright

The immediate fate of the B.C. Hockey League hinges on a decision the provincial health office will announce on Friday which will either lift the travel ban on sports teams or extend it.

The immediate fate of the B.C. Hockey League hinges on a decision the provincial health office will announce on Friday which will either lift the travel ban on sports teams or extend it.

Until then, the league remains idle, with no practices or games happening.

“From a league standpoint we’re in a complete holding pattern waiting for January 8th,” said Kings general manager Mike Hawes, part of the BCHL’s return to play task force. “Hopefully there’s some good news on restrictions and we’re able to travel between the cities so we can get back to playing some games.”

The province announced on Dec. 28 it will allow 19- and 20-year-old players to resume practicing or playing games with their teams once the travel restriction ends. As a result, all Spruce Kings players will be practicing together at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena by the end of this week. Twelve of the team’s 25 players and nearly half of the players in the league were affected by the ban, which took effect on Dec. 10.

If the travel ban is lifted Hawes said the league schedule could begin as early as Jan. 15. If not, there are contingency plans for a condensed season to start Feb. 1, mid-February or as late as March 1.

Hawes said the BCHL has abandoned plans for an abbreviated schedule which would have had all 17 B.C.-based teams gather in Penticton for 20 or 24 games each over a seven-week period from Feb. 1-March 22, followed by a 10-day playoff tournament. Each team was to remain in a bubble in Penticton, based at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, with all games played at the adjacent South Okanagan Events Centre, but the province expressed concerns about having 500 people together in one area for a two-month period.

The Wenatchee Wild, the BCHL’s lone American team, has already announced to will not play this season, citing concerns about the ban on non-essential travel between Canada and the U.S.

WRIGHT CHOICE

The Spruce Kings have made a move to shore up the blueline.

The Kings announced Monday they have acquired the rights to 19-year-old defenceman Josh Wright from the Brantford 99ers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in exchange for future considerations.

Wright, a six-foot-two, 170-pound native of Woodstock, Ont., played 43 regular season games in 2019-20 with the Trenton Golden Hawks of the OJHL and collected three goals and 11 assists.  He also drew four assists in four playoff games in 2020.

Wright started his junior career three years ago with Woodstock of the Provincial Junior (C) Hockey League and played one season with London of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.

“Josh is a veteran right-shot defenceman and it seems they are a hot commodity,” said Hawes. “He plays the game the way we like it played, he has a lot of skill and he’s a presence on the back end. He’s going to be with us this season, when we do have one, and more importantly he’ll be with us next season.”

Kings 20-year-old defenceman Tanner Main broke his leg when he fell into the boards during a game against the Trail Smoke Eaters Nov. 15 in Trail and won’t resume skating for at least another six weeks. If the Kings are playing in late-March and April there’s a chance Main will be ready to return for his final junior season.

The Kings brought in Cole Moberg, 20, on loan from the Prince George Cougars but that agreement with the WHL team expired Dec. 20. All WHL players loaned to junior A teams have gone back to their major junior teams.

The Kings have assigned 18-year-old forward Keiton Klein to the Abbotsford Pilots of the Pacific Junior (B) Hockey League. The Bellingham, Wash., native played five exhibition games this year with the Kings.

NHL TIES

Former Spruce Kings goalie Brad Thiessen (Columbus Blue Jackets) and forward Jujhar Khairia (Edmonton Oilers) are among 48 BCHL alumni players invited to NHL camps this month.