Decision to push back OHL regular season not surprising
The league is planning to discuss a new potential start date with government and health officials in the new year
Dec 23, 2020 3:00 PM By: Brad Coccimiglio
Soo Greyhounds file photo. Brad Coccimiglio/SooToday
With the expectation that American and European players would be arriving over the next two weeks to quarantine prior to beginning play, the Ontario Hockey League announced on Wednesday morning that the regular season has once again been pushed back due to COVID-19.
The provincial lockdown in Ontario, which is set to take effect this weekend, played a role in the decision.
John Chidley-Hill
The Ontario Hockey League has delayed the February start of its 2020-21 season. Players sticks are shown during the Ice Hockey World Championships Group A match between Russia and Denmark, in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, May 12, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Ivan Sekretarev December 23, 2020 - 8:56 AM
TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League has delayed the February start of its 2020-21 season.
The OHL announced Wednesday the season will not start on Feb. 4, the date targeted earlier this year. Players were scheduled to report to their teams in early January.
The decision follows Ontario Premier Doug Ford s decision to put the entire province into lockdown starting Saturday as cases surge during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Donna Spencer
Quinton Byfield skates during an intersquad game at Hockey Canada s men s under-18 hockey camp in Calgary, Alta., Monday, July 29, 2019. .THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh December 23, 2020 - 7:09 AM
A capsule look at the 10 countries competing in the 2021 world junior men s hockey championship Dec. 25 to Jan. 5 in Edmonton (ranked in order of 2020 finish).
CANADA
Half a dozen players return from the team that won gold in Ostrava, Czech Republic, in dramatic fashion. Trailing by two in the third period, Canada scored three to beat Russia. Tournament MVP Alexis Lafreniere was eligible to play again for Canada, but the New York Rangers didn t release the No. 1 pick in this year s NHL draft. Devon Levi was slated to start in goal for Canada s lone pre-tournament game against Russia on Wednesday, but the three goalies haven t got much time to separate themselves prior to the tournament.
OHL announces delay to the start of the 2020-21 season
An empty Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia, Ont. (Luke Durda/OHL Images) | December 23, 2020, 10:11 AM
December 23, 2020, 10:11 AM
TORONTO The Ontario Hockey League has delayed the February start of its 2020-21 season.
The OHL announced Wednesday the season will not start on Feb. 4, the date targeted earlier this year. Players were scheduled to report to their teams in early January.
The decision follows Ontario Premier Doug Ford s decision to put the entire province into lockdown starting Saturday as cases surge during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sport Minister Lisa MacLeod said that Ontario s lockdown orders allow for professional and high-performance athletes to train within the province but not to compete.
QMJHL teams
have been sidelined since earlier in December as the Maritime provinces restricted travel and parts of Quebec moved into the red zone.
The teams were expected to resume play on Jan. 3, but an update from league officials show that is no longer the case.
Earlier this week, the league announced it has chosen four Quebec cities to host “protected environment” events for that province’s teams starting Jan. 22.
Two teams will join each host organization Chicoutimi, Drummondville, Rimouski and Shawinigan to play two games in three days.
Chicoutimi, Drummondville and Rimouski will also host similar events from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6. Each arena will host one or two games per day with a total of 12 games being played.