WHL suspends season due to rising concerns over coronavirus

It was officially announced Thursday that the WHL has made the decision to suspend all games due to ongoing concerns over the coronavirus.

This follows the recent news that the NHL will also be suspending their season, as well as the entirety of the Canadian Hockey League, which includes three regional leagues the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League,

The WHL has five teams in B.C., five in Alberta, five in Saskatchewan and two in Manitoba, along with five in the U.S. (four in Washington, one in Oregon), with our local Victoria Royals being the only team on Vancouver Island.

Following consultation with medical professionals and meetings today among the CHL Executive Council, and regional league Board of Governors, the CHL made the announcement that the balance of the 2019-20 season and all hockey activity shall be paused immediately until further notice.

The Victoria Royals were slated to play this weekend at Save-On-Foods Memorial, but all games have been suspended as of today’s announcement, with only four games remaining in the regular season.

A statement from the CHL reads:

“The CHL takes the health and safety of our players, fans, volunteers, staff, and general public very seriously. CHL President Dan MacKenzie with Commissioners David Branch, Gilles Courteau, and Ron Robison have been monitoring the situation in regards to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) including what local, provincial, and federal health agencies have recommended.”