Three Coquitlam Express players, who forgot their ID on the team's recent road trip, are stuck in Kamloops (Image Credit: Tali Campbell / Coquitlam Express)

By Chad Klassen

EXPRESS IN KAMLOOPS

Blazers welcome Coquitlam Express with open arms after team trapped due to highway closures

Nov 16, 2021 | 5:58 PM

KAMLOOPS — Coquitlam Express players Carter Cochrane and Christian MacDougall are having fun together at the Sandman Centre — an ice session that wasn’t in their plans when they left Prince George on Saturday night. But they’re here in Kamloops.

“Super long, but it’s been fun. I’ve been surrounded by my teammates, so just making the best of it,” said MacDougall.

Cochrane added, “Obviously just try to make the most of it. Luckily for us we’re coming back from what was a pretty successful road trip, so it makes it a little more fun. I think everyone’s going through the same thing. There’s uncertainty with all teams.”

The BCHL team was forced to stay in Williams Lake on Saturday night, and then arrived in Kamloops on Sunday afternoon. Most of the Express players and coaches drove to Kelowna on Tuesday (Nov. 16) to fly back home.

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“This morning, we heard it could be up to several weeks before the roads safely re-open again and we just knew financially and mentally we couldn’t be on the road for that long and we had to get players home to their billet houses,” said Express GM Tali Campbell.

“It was roughly $5,000 to $6,000 a day to stay here — once you add the hotel fees and the food and the activities.”

There were three players left behind, players who forgot their IDs for the trip. Campbell says they have no choice but to stay in the city. However, they all say Kamloops, including the Blazers organization, has opened its arms to help in whatever way.

“I can’t thank the Kamloops Blazers enough for their support,” said Campbell. “When they knew we were stuck, I reached out to [assistant GM] Tim O’Donovan and just said ‘Hey, what are the chances we’d be able to get a [locker] room and maybe some ice to practice on and just keep our players busy?’ They opened up their doors hugely for us.”

O’Donovan added, “Colin ‘Toledo’ Robinson, our trainer, is taking care of them — their equipment needs and laundry — and we’ve hooked them up with the city to get some ice here as well. We would imagine if we were in that position, we’d be asking for help, so we’re always there to help other teams.”

The players’ IDs are being couriered up to Kamloops, but there is no telling when they will arrive. Until then, they will continue to practice at the Sandman Centre.

As far as the rest of the team, the Express are scheduled to play Trail on Friday night in Coquitlam. That game likely won’t happen.

“Makes you wonder if [the BCHL] will make a change in the divisions and do just Mainland teams play Mainland teams and Interior plays Interior for a while until they figure something out. That’s up to the league. We’ll just have to wait and see,” said Cochrane.