All WHL players, officials, and team staff will need to be fully vaccinated by September 17, two weeks before the season starts. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Raiders Vaccinations

WHL to require full vaccination for players, staff

Aug 17, 2021 | 12:00 PM

When the new WHL season begins, the hope is it will be the first full, uninterrupted season since 2018-19. To help make sure of that, the league has released new guidelines surrounding vaccination for their players and staff.

The WHL announced yesterday they would require all roster players, officials, hockey operations staff and other team and WHL office personnel to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to the season. This means they must be fully vaccinated by September 17.

“It’s not a surprise to us,” said Prince Albert Raiders business manager Mike Scissons. “The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Ontario Hockey League have gone this way already and I think the Western Hockey League, in due time, was going to go to it. It’s a league rule that’s been put in place that we fully support.”

In addition to players and team staff, coaches, general managers, head scouts, and anyone else in regular direct contact with the team, the league also requires penalty box attendants and timekeepers to be vaccinated as well.

“Anything that our organization can do, or safe to say, any organization or league can do to help protect its players, its coaches, ultimately its fans and anyone associated with it to make it a better, safer environment for all involved, we fully support,” Scissons said.

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Last season, the WHL operated in a bubble environment in the East Division, while other divisions went about the abbreviated schedule differently. In all cases, however, teams proved they could follow league mandates and keep their COVID-19 cases low.

“No matter where you went and whatever situation they were in,” Scissons said, “obviously the US division teams travelled and had very, very, very few cases. The BC teams went out of two bubbles and the East Division went out of Regina. We’ve proven we’re willing to take the steps and our players have proven they’re willing to take the steps in order to get to play.”

After the last two seasons were cut short by the pandemic, Scissons added there may be some extra motivation to do whatever it takes to have a season this time around.

“I think in society as a whole, we’re seeing it,” he said. “Whether it be sitting in a restaurant with the plexiglass still up beside you, going to the grocery store with it in front of you, or just pumping that hand sanitizer everywhere you go, society as a whole is willing to take the steps in order to not have to go through this again.”

As for whether fans will need to be vaccinated, the WHL has not released any guidance on that yet.

The Raiders open their season at home against the Regina Pats on Friday, October 1.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP