Blazers among 15 WHL teams paused due to positive COVID-19 tests

Photo: Kamloops Blazers

The Kamloops Blazers have paused team activities due to a number of COVID-19 infections among players and staff.

The Blue and Orange are not alone. Fifteen of the WHL’s 22 teams have paused activities due to COVID-19 as of Friday afternoon.

“The WHL and our member clubs remain fully committed to playing through the 68-game WHL regular season schedule and playoffs,” league commissioner Ron Robison said in a news release.

“As we work through the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our priority continues to be to deliver a world-class development experience for WHL payers, staff and officials, and to do so in a safe and healthy manner.”

The Lethbridge Hurricanes and Swift Current Broncos had been paused, but were cleared Friday to resume team activities. In a statement, the league said it expects “numerous other WHL clubs currently on pause will be cleared to resume team activities in the coming days.”

The Blazers games this weekend have been postponed. Robison said postponed games will be rescheduled “in the coming weeks.”

The next game on the schedule for Kamloops is on Wednesday in Portland, the start of a three-game U.S. Division road trip.

According to the WHL, team activities are paused when a club records “multiple rapid antigen positive results for COVID-19.” Teams not paused due to COVID-19 are Kelowna, Vancouver, Brandon, Portland, Seattle, Swift Current and Lethbridge.

The Blazers (21-9-1-0) are first in the WHL’s B.C. Division and fifth overall.