B.C. Division, DUBNetwork

BC Division approved by BC Government

Written by Adam Kierszenblat on

 

It has been 356 days since the Victoria Royals beat the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 at Prospera Place. That was the last game any team played before the league shut down due to COVID-19. With all the other divisions having concrete start dates and setups, BC division teams were waiting for some good news about when they could start playing games. On March 1st, 2021, BC’s Health Minister Adrian Dix announced that the WHL’s plan for a restart has been approved. No details have been officially announced but it looks as though a BC division played in British Columbia is going to happen.

What we know so far:

Bubble life:

It looks as though a bubble format will be used for the BC division. The plan submitted mentions Kelowna and Kamloops as the host cities. One reason these two cities were selected has to do with them being in the same health authority. In BC, there is currently a travel ban set up which prohibits travel between the different health authorities across the province. Victoria and Vancouver are in two different health authorities which could cause issues with travel and testing. Having all the teams report to one health authority will make it easier to test and contact trace if necessary.

Dates:

So far, no date has been confirmed. If we look at the timelines set up by other divisions, the beginning of April looks like what the league and province are aiming for. This would give enough time for players to fly in, quarantine, and set up the two hubs. This timeline would also allow for a mini-training camp before the season starts. Many of the players are already in their team’s cities. There are however some like Trent Miner, Connor Zary, and Brayden Tracey that still need to fly back after their successful AHL starts. Although not confirmed, the most feasible date seems to be the first week of April.

Schedule:

No schedule has been provided but if the Alberta division is any indication, we could see a weekend-only set-up. This however involves a lot of travel which the Health Authority of BC wants to avoid. It is very possible the agreement is for a 24-game schedule with games played every day. Teams would not have to travel back and forth, and it would allow for hockey every night. A normal schedule may also be good for the WHL as it allows fans to not have to wait for the weekend to watch games. Lastly, it would limit potential outbreaks as all teams would be together with minimal contact from others outside the bubble. We now have to wait and see what type of agreement the Province and WHL representatives agree on.

Information about the BCHL:

The BCHL is running into some issues getting their season started. The major hurdle is that they have proposed a five hub set up for their 18 teams. The hubs are located in different health authorities which can cause issues with testing and covid tracking. There is also the issue surrounding billet families. Most WHL teams are set up in hotels or the actual arena which allows for limited contact, therefore limited risk. The plan was also submitted after the WHL’s plan, but the hope is it can be approved later this week. Although the two leagues are competitors, we hope to see the BCHL start up as soon as possible.

For all your up-to-date BCHL news, make sure to follow @BCHLNetwork. on Twitter.

Ready for the season to start:

Stayed tuned for more information about the BC division and their start of season plan. Once the division gets its start date and game information, keep a lookout for in-depth analysis about your favourite BC division team. We are ready to go here at DUBNetwork, and we hope you are as well.