Keep those high fives on the down low.
The Western Hockey League is advising its clubs, which includes the Victoria Royals, to have players 鈥渁void direct contact with fans鈥� because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
That includes high fives, handshakes and autographing items.
The WHL issued a list of recommendations Tuesday.
Because the Royals鈥� dressing room is located in a position where the players have to cross the public concourse to reach the ice, it has become a tradition for fans to high five the Royals when the players come on and off the ice before and after games and periods.
鈥淲e might push back the gates [that separate fans from the players],鈥� said Royals GM Cam Hope, but added arena maintenance will decide that.
Pushing back those gates happened the last time the WHL went through a health issue when mumps swept through the league in 2017. Hope said the Royals took hygiene seriously even before the mumps and COVID-19 situations.
鈥淲e have always been very aggressive about this issue because we are dealing with young players who are in direct contact with the public,鈥� said Hope.
鈥淎nd our players are in close proximity to each other. We are constantly sanitizing our dressing and equipment rooms. That is the nature of our business.鈥�
Two of the WHL鈥檚 franchises 鈥� Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds 鈥� operate in a metro area what has become the epicentre of COVID-19 in the U.S.
鈥淭he Western Hockey League continues to closely monitor the public health developments regarding COVID-19,鈥� stated the league.
鈥淭he safety of our players, officials, staff, fans, and the general public, remains of the utmost importance. The WHL is taking all necessary precautions, as advised by Canadian and U.S. health authorities, to mitigate potential spread of COVID-19. The WHL is advising players and club personnel to maintain good hygiene practices, including regular and thorough washing of hands with soap and water, or cleansing with alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Medical and training staffs of all 22 WHL member clubs have been provided with information from their regional health authorities advising on the transmission of COVID-19 and common symptoms associated with the virus.鈥�
The WHL said it is following the recommendations of the Public Health Agency of sa国际传媒, and for the U.S. Division, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
鈥淧HAC has assessed the public health risk associated with COVID-19 as low for sa国际传媒. CDC has stated that the immediate health risk in the United States is low for the general public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time,鈥� said the WHL, in its statement.
The Royals conclude a three-game road trip tonight in Kelowna against the Rockets. It began over the weekend in Portland. The Royals鈥� head physician, Dr. Michael Conrad, addressed the players, coaches and training staff before the trip about the best practices to keep safe.
Ironically, Dan Price鈥檚 first game as a head coach in the WHL was in 2017 during the mumps outbreak when then Royals head coach Dave Lowry had to go into isolation because of the mumps. Price was assistant coach of the Royals at that time and stepped into the breach as head coach with Hope hopping onto the bench as assistant coach for a game in Kamloops.
Price eventually took over as Royals head coach when Lowry departed after that season, following five seasons in Victoria, to take on the assistant coaching position with the Los Angeles Kings. Lowry is now head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL and knows all about the league鈥檚 medical protocols following the mumps episode. So does veteran Royals defenceman Mitchell Prowse, who was then a rookie, and also tested positive for mumps along with Lowry.
Victoria (31-24-8) is down to its last five games of the 2019-20 regular season and is tied with Vancouver (32-24-6) in second place in the sa国际传媒 Division with the Giants holding a game in hand.
The Kamloops Blazers have clinched the division crown.
The fourth-place Kelowna Rockets (29-27-6) can mathematically overtake the Royals and Giants. But the Rockets trail Vancouver and Victoria by six points with six games remaining and appear to be running out of time and games. Kelowna, however, plays Victoria tonight, and Vancouver twice down the stretch, so the placings could change with certain results.
鈥淧ositioning regarding the standings is not prime in our minds,鈥� said Price.
鈥淲e want to play the best we can each game so we are peaking going into the playoffs.鈥�
The underachieving Rockets have had a recent mini-revival under Kris Mallette following the firing of head coach Adam Foote.
鈥淜elowna is playing well right now,鈥� said Price.
鈥淭hey changed some things structurally and have time to practice those. They are more aggressive in the neutral zone now.鈥�
The Royals return home to play the Prince George Cougars 鈥� hanging onto a slender thread seven points adrift of the final wild card playoff berth with only six games remaining 鈥� Friday and Saturday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
