RED DEER, Alta. — Hockey Canada has temporarily shutdown national junior team selection camp following the confirmation of two positive COVID-19 tests among players.

Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday that players, coaches and staff at the camp have entered a 14-day quarantine retroactive to Monday. All camp activities will be paused until Dec. 6.

The original announcement of the positive player tests came on Tuesday — three days after Hockey Canada said a “non-core member” of the team’s staff also tested positive. Hockey Canada said it was suspending all camp activities for the day, including a scheduled intrasquad game, at the time.

Both players and the staff have been in quarantine at the team’s hotel in Red Deer, Alta.

Players, coaches and staff all took mandatory COVID-19 tests upon arrival at the camp and have been tested regularly while there.

Hockey Canada is in the midst of their selection camp ahead of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Edmonton that opens on Christmas Day.

“Hockey Canada has confirmed that all players, coaches and staff are considered close contacts and are therefore subject to the mandatory 14-day quarantine period under Alberta Health Services,” said senior vice-president of national teams, Scott Salmond.

“Upon learning of the positive tests on Monday, the decision was made to suspend all camp activities and quarantine players and staff immediately. As per Hockey Canada’s safety protocols, all players, coaches and staff members will go through additional testing before resuming any camp activities.”

Canada seeks its second consecutive gold medal at the tournament, which would be its 19th title all-time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 25, 2020.

The Canadian Press

New feature exhibit examines “When Sports Stopped.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic Albertans have been adapting to one change after another with little idea when things will return to “normal”. We are living through a historic time. It began with the closing of museums, schools and daycares – forcing families to stay home and employers to accommodate employees working from home. Soon after we saw the closure of businesses and non-essential stores – once more pushing us to stay home and stay safe. Then came the cancellation of sports – from minor leagues where our children competed, to the profeissional leagues suspending play. This was a shock to our systems as we were gearing up for NHL and NBA playoffs and MLB pre-season games.

“I was just about to return to work from my maternity leave when COVID struck and sports stopped. It made me stop and think about what other global events have caused sports to stop? If I was asking these questions then so were many other people.” Comments Breanna Suk, Collections and Exhibit Coordinator. “I came back to work in May with this exhibit already forming in my mind. It got pushed back as we had bigger priorities when I first returned, so seeing it all come together seven months later is a great feeling.”

This new exhibition examines the effects of global events from the Spanish Flu through both World Wars and right up to COVID had on sports. It may seem likely that the postponement of the Utah Jazz – Oklahoma City Thunder NBA game just minutes before tip-off due to Rudy Gobert’s positive COVID test and the subsequent suspension of many professional leagues was a new occurrence. This exhibit highlights multiple past occurrences where international events have brought a stop to sports.

This exhibition is expected to be on display in the museum’s main gallery starting November 20, 2020. Be sure to stop in and see it for yourself.