WHL eyes September start plan

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This article was published 02/06/2020 (1416 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jeff Chynoweth has spent more than three decades of his working life in the Western Hockey League, much of that time as a team owner and general manager.

Nothing in his experience could have prepared him for the disruption of a COVID-19 pandemic that has shaken major-junior hockey to its core.

A regular season was halted, playoffs were cancelled and a Memorial Cup tournament was wiped from the calendar.

The full, long-term impact remains to be determined.

But this is June. Chynoweth has hope for next season.

“I believe we will start on time, I really do,” the GM of the Calgary Hitmen said via telephone Wednesday afternoon. “At the same time, the 22 teams and our league have to be thinking about contingencies.”

The WHL, which normally opens its regular season in late September, has not announced a restart date for 2020-21.

But league sources suggest a return to hockey will not happen in empty arenas; the reality of operating a gate-driven league make this impossible.

With that goal in mind, the WHL has prepared an exhaustive return-to-play plan that will eventually be submitted for approval to health authorities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, B.C., Washington and Oregon.

The success of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in containing the pandemic and an apparent turnaround in the four other jurisdictions has helped to raise expectations.

Adding fuel to the optimism came Tuesday when the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League announced Tuesday is was targeting Oct. 1 for a restart.

The WHL has been quiet about its plans so far.

“We want to make an announcement when the time is right,” said Chynoweth. “We don’t want to be pushing it off.”

Others see no harm in announcing a date, reasoning any adjustment on the fly would be perfectly understandable.

A resumption in mid-September may not be as realistic, for instance, as reopening on Oct. 2 when schools may have already been open for almost a month, adding to a feeling of comfort and normalcy.

Delaying the start might affect the confidence of paying customers, but government health authorities will have the final word on reopening.

Although the demand for live sports entertainment is expected to be high when WHL teams are finally able to sell tickets and allow fans in the door, how many fans will feel safe enough to attend games even in a socially distanced setting?

In Winnipeg, the Ice is preparing for a second season at Wayne Fleming Arena on the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus after relocating from Cranbrook, B.C., after the 2018-19 season.

“With our hockey and business operation we’re feeling very prepared for any scenario we start under,” said Ice GM Matt Cockell.

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At least Cockell and his league partners have some time on their side.

Conditions can and will change in the four-month run-up to a possible season.

Still, the desire for a return to hockey is strong.

“Since the March 17 shutdown, the novelty of working at home has worn off,” said Chynoweth. “I miss my staff. I miss my players. After 2 1/2 months, you miss the day-to-day interaction with people.”