The Moose Jaw Warriors organization has been punished by the Western Hockey League (WHL) following an off-ice incident involving four of its players, including one from West Kelowna.
Lynden Lakovic and Marek Howell (both 16), as well as defenceman Max Wanner and goaltender Connor Ungar were suspended indefinitely by the league on Feb. 11 for an unspecified incident that occurred on a road trip to Edmonton. The WHL said Friday those suspensions will continue for the remainder of the regular season.
Lakovic is from West Kelowna and a nephew of former NHLer Sasha Lakovic while Howell is the son of former West Kelowna Warriors head coach Mark Howell.
Lakovic played for the RINK Hockey Academy’s U15 program in 2020-21 and played two games for the West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL) in 2021-22. On Dec. 9, 2021, the West Kelowna native was taken in the second round of the WHL Draft by the Moose Jaw Warriors. In his WHL career, he has two goals and five assists in 38 career games.
On top of the players’ regular seasons coming to an end, Moose Jaw general manager Jason Ripplinger and head coach Mark O’Leary have been suspended for five regular-season games, effective immediately. The team was also fined $25,000.
A WHL statement issued Friday said that Ripplinger and O’Leary are being disciplined for failing to provide “a safe and positive environment for players, in particular while travelling.”
The WHL said the conduct of the players was not found to be criminal by Edmonton police. But after a third-party investigation into the incident, the league determined that the players were in violation of team and league rules, including their conduct policies.
The four players must to complete further personal conduct and respect training to be reinstated to the league.
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