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COVID-crunched BCHL facing trade deadline dilemma with its 20-year-olds

Hard decisions loom when BCHL may or may not resume play
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Jack Barnes, who was Cowichan Valley Capitals property from May 2020 until last week, scores a goal for the Penticton Vees during the 2019-20 BCHL season. (Brennan Phillips/Black Press)

Tomorrow含羞草研究社檚 Canadian junior A hockey trade deadline has put BC Hockey League managers in a bit of a quandary.

Not knowing for sure if the BCHL would be able to resume play next month or not 含羞草研究社 depending on COVID-19 restrictions 含羞草研究社 Cowichan Valley Capitals head coach and general manager Brian Passmore is struggling to do right by his players, especially the 20-year-olds in their last year of eligibility.

If the BCHL does return to action, he will want those veterans in the lineup, but if it doesn含羞草研究社檛, he would prefer to have sent them to another junior A league that is playing or will be playing this season.

含羞草研究社淥bviously we have 20-year-old guys who want to go somewhere where they will be playing,含羞草研究社 Passmore said, adding that 含羞草研究社渢wo or three含羞草研究社 of the five 20-year-olds on the current roster have asked to be moved to a club that will be playing.

If some or all of the five 20-year-olds end up going elsewhere, that will leave a good chunk of the 25-man roster empty.

含羞草研究社淭here will be a lot of holes there, and we need players who can play there, if we含羞草研究社檙e playing,含羞草研究社 he noted.

The Alberta Junior Hockey League has confirmed that it will resume its season, which stopped in November, so he could send his veterans there to play. The Manitoba Junior Hockey League, on the other hand, has cancelled the remainder of the season, and Passmore has already arranged to acquire players from that league if the BCHL does get back in action.

It含羞草研究社檚 a tricky situation, regardless.

含羞草研究社淚t creates a lot of anxiety,含羞草研究社 Passmore admitted. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e trying to keep guys if we含羞草研究社檙e playing, but at the same time, we含羞草研究社檙e looking for talented players coming in. We understand they want to play hockey. They含羞草研究社檙e 20 years old and looking at the future of their hockey careers. I still have a lot of optimism that we will play.含羞草研究社

While most Western Hockey League teams and the Alberta Junior Hockey League have announced their returns, the BCHL and the WHL含羞草研究社檚 five B.C.-based teams are still awaiting clearance to play this season. The BCHL played an exhibition season in the fall, but teams have been limited to practices since November. WHL teams in B.C. haven含羞草研究社檛 skated together at all.

The BCHL season has been delayed several times, most recently on Feb. 5 when the Provincial Health Office extended restrictions around mass gatherings and events until the beginning of March.

On Feb. 18, the BCHL received notice that multiple members of the Prince George Spruce Kings tested positive for COVID-19. According to the league, the Spruce Kings reached out to Northern Health, who then notified the Provincial Health Office. All affected team members and close contacts were placed in 14-day quarantine, and anyone showing symptoms will be tested as soon as possible.

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Kevin Rothbauer

About the Author: Kevin Rothbauer

Kevin Rothbauer is the sports reporter for the Cowichan Valley Citizen
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