** This story has been updated

Although hesa国际传媒檚 endured a kind of prison sentence in the basement of his Surrey home, Caleb Reimer can be considered one of the lucky ones.

The six-foot-three centre is quarantined for a week in preparation for his trip to Edmonton and the delayed start of the Western Hockey League (WHL) season.

, following many months of COVID-caused shutdown.

Reimer is headed to Oil Kings training camp nearly two years after the franchise made him , in the first round, 18th overall.

But first, the league-mandated quarantine period for him and other players.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 not allowed to leave my basement,sa国际传媒� Reimer, 16, said Monday (Feb. 1). sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e got my bed here and my PlayStation, and thatsa国际传媒檚 it.

sa国际传媒淢y Mom knocks on the door every couple hours with snacks or lunch, some food,sa国际传媒� he added with a laugh. sa国际传媒淚 have five days left, because I leave on Sunday (Feb. 7). It hasnsa国际传媒檛 been bad, actually, just pretty funny. Isa国际传媒檓 trying to keep busy.sa国际传媒�

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Upon arrival in Edmonton, Reimer and the others will undergo COVID-19 testing followed by an additional quarantine period. At the earliest, pre-season on-ice training will start Feb. 12 for the Oil Kings, Red Deer Rebels, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers and Calgary Hitmen.

Albertasa国际传媒檚 WHL teams will play a 24-game schedule, with games against just one opponent per week and a five-day break before playing another team. All games will be played on weekends, with home-and-home games only and no fans allowed in arenas.

No such return-to-play plan is in place for WHL teams in some other regions, including those in B.C.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 amazing, and wesa国际传媒檙e very fortunate,sa国际传媒� said Reimer, who previously played minor hockey in Cloverdale. sa国际传媒淭he other divisions havensa国际传媒檛 been given the green light, so itsa国际传媒檚 fortunate to be in the Central Division, and Isa国际传媒檓 super excited to get playing games again, even though itsa国际传媒檚 about a month until those (games) happen.sa国际传媒�

On Friday (Feb. 5), , in line with updated COVID-19 protocols in Washington State. The move allows Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Seattle Thunderbirds, Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans to play division-only games.

Since September, Reimer has skated with Delta Hockey Academysa国际传媒檚 U18 Prep squad alongside some other WHL-bound players. They include North Deltan , a defenseman and fellow 2004-born player who also quarantined at home for his shot to play for Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Their DHA team has been in practice-only mode since they played a handful of games last fall, when COVID protocols allowed for such on-ice action.

sa国际传媒淭he whole academy and the coaches, theysa国际传媒檝e kept it interesting for the players with different focuses for practices and some game-oriented drills,sa国际传媒� Reimer said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 still competitive but not the same as playing against another team, going on road trips and coming up with game plans, all that. Itsa国际传媒檚 been different but itsa国际传媒檚 also been good, theysa国际传媒檝e done a good job there.sa国际传媒�

At camp in Edmonton, Reimer will be joined by fellow Surrey-raised player Carson Latimer, who in December of 2019 scored on his very shift in the WHL, just a few seconds after hitting the ice in his first game with the Oil Kings.

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sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e pretty good friends, and played a lot of games together,sa国际传媒� Reimer said of Latimer, a former DHA teammate and Semiamoo product who scored 12 points with Port Moody Panthers after , at a time when the Oil Kings were in limbo. sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 super nice, and itsa国际传媒檒l be good to see him again.sa国际传媒�

Big, and willing to play the power-forward game, Reimer has worked on his skating in recent seasons, and has also put on some weight.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e always been one of the tallest kids, but havensa国际传媒檛 grown much since the start of summer,sa国际传媒� Reimer noted. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 happy where I am. Isa国际传媒檓 starting to get a lot faster, more comfortable in my body sa国际传媒� thatsa国际传媒檚 been the biggest thing. I havensa国际传媒檛 been very comfortable in my body the last couple of years because I was just shooting up (in height).sa国际传媒�

Last July, Reimer was among 113 players invited to , along with North Deltasa国际传媒檚 Niall Crocker, a Prince Albert Raiders draft pick who has also skated with DHAsa国际传媒檚 U18 Prep team this winter.

While quarantining at home and waiting for their WHL season to start, Reimer and the other Oil Kings players have kept busy with daily online sessions.

sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 four or five groups of us,sa国际传媒� he reported. sa国际传媒淓very morning, someone takes on the news, the weather, the sports, a little news section thatsa国际传媒檚 been prepared with the group the night before, then a workout after that, mostly cardio and pushups, planks, lunges, that sort of thing. Later on at night, the guys get together on Zoom for sort of a team activity sa国际传媒� playing video games or poker or just something to keep us busy.sa国际传媒�

, WHL officials said they continue to work with government and health authorities in each provincial and state jurisdiction to establish a start date for the WHLsa国际传媒檚 East Division, B.C. Division and U.S. Division. sa国际传媒淎pproval from the health authorities is required in each jurisdiction for the balance of the WHL Divisions to return to play,sa国际传媒� the league said.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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