Kamloops Blazers President and COO Don Moores was a guest on the NL Morning News to discuss the WHL’s plan to forge ahead with a 24-game season announced in a Friday news release.

“We are going to bring our players in at the appropriate time. They will be part of a program to develop which really is our mandate. We’ll figure it out based on what health authorities allow us to do,” he said.

There is no official start date for the WHL season after it was pushed back from the tentative Jan. 8 date. Reports are the league could get underway in late February with potential hub cities in the B.C. Division but nothing has been finalized.

The WHL also previously announced that all regular-season games will happen within the confines of the division, meaning the Kamloops Blazers will only play against the Kelowna Rockets, the Vancouver Giants, the Victoria Royals, and the Prince George Cougars.

Commissioner Ron Robison says all models and schedule formats are being considered to ensure a WHL season can forge ahead.

“This commitment ensures WHL players will receive the opportunity to compete at the highest level in the system and continue to pursue their hockey goals in the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players,” he said, in a statement.

Any season would still have to get the clearance from BC Provincial Health, but Moores feels they made a commitment to their players to develop them.

“We are a development hockey league. We are the elite hockey development program in the world. That’s what our responsibility is,” Moores added.

Listen to the full interview with Don Moores below.