EDMONTON -- Minor hockey in Edmonton will wrap up its 2020-21 season due to provincial COVID-19 restrictions not being lifted.

Up until this point the junior hockey season was suspended since teams could not access arenas.

Steve Hogle, Hockey Edmonton general manager, confirmed Thursday in an interview with CTV News Edmonton that as a result of the provincial government deciding not to proceed further in the COVID-19 relaunch plan, the official season for minor hockey in Edmonton has ended.

“The regular seasons as we know it are over,” Hogle said. “We never did have the regular season we envisioned.”

“It’s a season like no other. Nobody signed up for that. We all wanted to play games.”

While the season for Hockey Edmonton has ended, Hogle said the city has agreed to keep winter ice rates in effect for teams who want to practice until the end of April.

Hogle added that some teams are still going to host practices and skate until the end of April. No games will be played.

CLUBS PLANNED TO EXTEND HOCKEY SEASON UNTIL APRIL 30

According to Hogle, most Hockey Edmonton teams had planned on extending the season until April 30 with the hope of returning to game play during late March and April to provide some competition, if permitted by Alberta Health Services.

Those plans changed unfortunately after the province delayed the move to Step 3 of the relaunch plan, due to increases in hospitalizations and variants of concern, said Hogle.

“Thus, most teams opted to begin to wind things down at this time, which is when our season traditionally ends,” Hogle said in a news release.

MINOR HOCKEY PLAYERS ‘SAD’ TO HEAR THE SEASON WILL END WITH NO GAME PLAY

Two U18 Elite hockey players interviewed by CTV News Edmonton said they were saddened and disappointed by the news that Hockey Edmonton was wrapping up the season.

“I’m sad,” Kaylee said. “I’m not from here, I’m from Calgary but I play here and so with everything ending I’ll have to go home soon.”

Kennedy said she was hopeful the season would restart to allow at least a few games to be played.

Both elite hockey players said the one word to sum up their hockey season was “confusing.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s David Ewasuk