As the NHL Draft begins next week, Major Junior Hockey return to play is up in the air.
With a number of protocols, the QMJHL returned to play this weekend. This was in spite of rumors that the Quebec government will ban team sports as of Monday.
The WHL intends to return to play a full 68 game season on Friday, December 4.
The OHL also intends to return on December 1. However, Provincial Sports Minister Lisa Macleod said this will be without physical contact.
The Ontario Hockey League may have to ban fighting and even body-checking as a condition of resuming games, provincial sport minister Lisa MacLeod told me in an interview.
(The OHL has said it hopes to open training camps in mid-Nov and begin its regular season Dec. 1.)— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) October 1, 2020
Former Junior Hockey Player Devin Holmes-Smith says while he understands the intent, this will be harder than it looks.
“What about faceoffs?” Holmes-Smith asked. “You are literally in each other’s faces”
Whether there could be physical play in the OHL or not is one question. The bigger question is if the OHL should even play at all. In an interview with TSN’s Rick Westhead, Dr. Andrew Morris suggested it’s a bad idea to even think about this.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch is an infectious disease expert at the Toronto General Hospital. He told Westhead that he recommended that Toronto-area minor hockey leagues shut down for the 2020-2021 season.
Dr. Isaac Bogoch (@BogochIsaac) shared that he spoke on a Sept. 24 conference call with Toronto-area minor hockey leagues and recommended a shutdown for the 2020-21 season.
“I’d be very hesitant o play… Who do these players go home to & what’s the ripple effect this could have?"— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) October 1, 2020
The OHL has yet to comment on Macleod’s suggestion. As far as the WHL, they also have not commented yet on the recommendations. Or, what their plan is for 2020-2021.