In an announcement that was widely expected, the Western Hockey League confirmed on Monday that there will be no playoffs for the 2020-21 season.
“When we returned to play in February, we set out with the intention of completing a 24-game regular season schedule, knowing adjustments would be needed along the way,” WHL commissioner Ron Robison said in a prepared statement.
“We remained hopeful that public health conditions would improve, but unfortunately that is not the reality we see in front of us today. The ongoing challenges with non-essential interprovincial and international cross-border travel leave us no alternative but to cancel the 2021 WHL Playoffs.”
Monday’s news was not a complete shock as the Memorial Cup had already been cancelled last week and Prince Albert Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid alluded to the fact that the Ed Chynoweth Cup would not be handed out this spring during a post-game press conference.
The league also announced that they will continue to work with government and health authorities regarding schedule options for the 2021-22 WHL regular season.
