All Western Hockey League players, coaches and support staff, on and off the ice, will have to be fully vaccinated for the 2021-22 season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to have clarity moving forward,鈥� said 颅Victoria Royals GM and head coach Dan Price. 鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 always been a matter of listening to the experts.鈥�
The WHL announced its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy Monday. It will apply to players, coaches, GMs, head scouts, directors of player personnel, trainers, equipment managers, consultants both on and off the ice, referees, linesmen, penalty-box attendants, timekeepers, scorekeepers and any others who interact directly and on a regular basis with the players.
鈥淭he policy is designed to further protect our players and staff in the WHL from the potential risk of exposure to COVID-19,鈥� said WHL commissioner Ron Robison, in a statement.
鈥淲ith travel restrictions currently in place with the sa国际传媒-U.S. border, as well as the province of Manitoba, it is important all players and staff are fully vaccinated in order to be eligible to play a full season in the WHL.鈥�
The WHL is also 鈥渟trongly recommending鈥� to each of its teams that players reside in fully vaccinated billet 颅households.
The league has not yet announced a policy on whether or not fans will need to show proof of double vaccination in order to enter arenas.
ICE CHIPS: The Royals traded 19-year-old Noah Lamb to the Swift Current Broncos for 18-year-old Devin Aubin in an exchange of veteran 颅blue-liners. Price describes the 颅five-foot-eight, 161-pound Aubin as a 鈥渟killed puck mover and highly competitive defender.鈥� The Royals also received a sixth round selection in next year鈥檚 WHL Prospects Draft.
