The WHL has said it still expects teams to play full 68-game schedules, but there are 27 games currently that need to be made up, including three between Vancouver and Kelowna
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As expected, the Vancouver Giants’ game Wednesday against the host Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place has been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns with the Giants.
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Two Vancouver players tested positive Saturday night in Kent, Wash., where the Giants were playing the Seattle Thunderbirds. That led to the Giants’ Sunday afternoon game against the Thunderbirds at the Langley Events Center being postponed Sunday morning.
The Giants’ weekly roster update that was published on the WHL website Tuesday listed defenseman Tom Cadieux and winger Jacob Boucher in COVID-19 protocol. They were among 23 players from across the 22-team league who were either added to protocol or were returning to action from protocol this week.
Vancouver is slated to visit the Prince George Cougars on Friday and Saturday in Prince George. There’s no word currently if those games will go ahead.
The WHL has had to postpone dozens of the games this season. There are currently 27 games listed on the league schedule on the WHL website as postponed. WHL commissioner Ron Robison said on Jan. 7 that the league still plans on having teams play full 68-game regular seasons, and Vancouver currently has five games to make up, including three against the Rockets.
Vancouver’s team activities were shut down for a week in early January due to multiple players and staff either testing positive or having symptoms. Giants general manager Barclay Parneta would only say that the “majority” of the team’s 30-person operation was involved.
That was before Cadieux and Boucher joined Vancouver. They were both acquired at the Jan. 17 trade deadline.
All players and team staff in the WHL are required to be fully vaccinated.