WHL delays season start indefinitely
By RYAN MCCRACKEN on December 16, 2020.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken The Western Hockey League’s waiting game met another speed bump Tuesday with the announcement that it is no longer targeting a Jan. 8 return to play due to public health restrictions across Western Canada and the northwest U.S. The league initially planned to start its season on Oct. 2, however that date was pushed to Dec. 4, then to Jan. 8. Rather than attempt to specify a fourth potential start date, the WHL’s board of governors will meet in January to determine the best course of action. “I don’t think the league had any other choice,” Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins said in a phone call with the News. “I do think it’s disappointing. I think everybody wants a season to begin but I don’t think there’s anything you can do with the government and the health rules the way they are right now. There’s no gatherings until Jan. 10, and for us to make a date right away I don’t think would make sense when we don’t even know what rules we’re operating with.” Desjardins admits it’s been a frustrating experience trying to manage a hockey team with a moving start date and public health guidelines changing on a constant basis – but he says it’s simply the way things need to be in order to move through this chapter and back into a state of normalcy. “It’s like anything, you want your goals, you want to know where you’re going and then you want to just be able to work hard to get there. Right now there’s no timeline for us to do anything. It’s like, you set the date and you work really hard and then the date changes,” he said. “It’s frustrating, for sure, but it’s just the way it has to be. It’s not good or bad, it’s just what we have to do at this time. I know the organization and the Masers (owners) feel bad about where things are at, I know they want to get going. We have a great city. We have such good people here and it’s just disappointing for everybody.” Some WHL players have opted to take on temporary roles in junior A and B leagues that have been able to start up and play this season. While most of those leagues are back on hold, Desjardins says the Tigers may consider encouraging players to get in some ice time elsewhere if issues getting a WHL season together persist. “I think that’s a step we have to look at going forward,” he said. “I think we have to wait and see a little bit where it’s at. I certainly feel for them though. We have a great group of athletes and we were certainly looking forward to the year. We worked hard last year, the guys had put in a lot of time. It’s really disappointing for them when you see what’s happening. It’s tough. Some guys have worked their whole life for these next two or three months, for the draft and the 20-year-olds who are sitting there and want to make an impression so they can get a chance.” Desjardins says is still in no rush to fill the void left by the departure of former assistant coach Ryan Smith – now an associate coach with the Spokane Chiefs – but he doesn’t anticipate he’ll have a hard time finding eligible candidates when the time comes. “We haven’t looked right now. Until we know when the league is going to start there’s no sense looking at that. We know we have lots of good people around,” he said. “Once we figure out the start date and what’s happening, then we’ll look at figuring out what we’re going to do at that position.” 11-10
