CHL meeting to evaluate next steps in COVID-19 pandemic

The president of the Canadian Hockey League is meeting with the commissioners for the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

CHL president Dan MacKenzie said in a tweet he is meeting today, March 12, with the WHL commissioner Ron Robison, OHL commissioner David Branch and QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau.

MacKenzie said in the tweet they are meeting to "evaluate next steps for the league and teams in light of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Statement from the Canadian Hockey League regarding COVID-19.

STATEMENT ?? | https://t.co/2NauWc7NlS pic.twitter.com/JRei5ZCa8z

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 12, 2020

The Western Hockey League board of governors is also meeting today to evaluate next steps for the league and its 22 member clubs, including the Kelowna Rockets and the Kamloops Blazers, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement released by the WHL on the subject of COVID-19 yesterday stated that the league will continue to closely monitor the public health developments regarding COVID-19 and will be taking all necessary precautions, as advised by Canadian and U.S. health authorities.

The Memorial Cup, the WHL championship tournament, is scheduled for Kelowna from May 21 to 31. Yesterday the CHL said there were no changes planned.

"At this time, there is no change to our plan of hosting the Memorial Cup in Kelowna this May. The event is still 10 weeks away and the CHL, in partnership with the Host Organizing Committee, will continue to monitor the evolving situation, including what the local, provincial, and federal health agencies are saying, and provide communications as appropriate," a statement reads.

Updates on the next steps for the junior hockey leagues are expected to be released following today's meetings. 

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