Next Season (COVID-19 Discussion Thread as it relates to the OHL) [Part 3]

[EON]

Continued from: Next Season (COVID-19 Discussion Thread) [Part 2]

Posts need to be directly related to the OHL in some way. There are plenty of other places on the internet to talk about COVID in general, how various governments are handling it, how the public is handling it and people are reacting, how vaccine progress is going, what the current COVID numbers are, etc.

Click to read more...

 

[HockeyPops]

No contact hockey OK for DeGray

 

[AttackSound]

No contact hockey OK for DeGray

At this point in time I think any chance that the league would be able to have a season would be considered a win in GM's books. Let's be quite honest the contact side of the OHL has steadily declined in the past two or three seasons and the old European style game of skill and speed has been present in it's place. If you asked every GM in the league given the choice to have a season play with no contact versus no season at all I can guarantee which way the managers and owners would swing we all do given the option.

 

[windsor7]

No contact hockey OK for DeGray

What a joke!

 

[swoopster]

What happens when the go in the corners... in front of the net... no tying the puck up???, no faceoffs???, so when a goal is scored, the scored upon team carries it out of their own end...LUDICROUS! TOTAL NONSENSE!

 

[windsor7]

At this point in time I think any chance that the league would be able to have a season would be considered a win in GM's books. Let's be quite honest the contact side of the OHL has steadily declined in the past two or three seasons and the old European style game of skill and speed has been present in it's place. If you asked every GM in the league given the choice to have a season play with no contact versus no season at all I can guarantee which way the managers and owners would swing we all do given the option.

And that is 1 thing that is wrong with junior hockey now.

 

[swoopster]

No contact hockey OK for DeGray

Good ,let them all stay in their own rinks and have no contact scrimmages all season... save a fortune. Today, hitting the crossbar is worth 2 points...hilarious.

 

[beastintheeast]

A question. It seems that no one in North America is able to control the virus. Therefore every time someone starts to do something it gets shut down (QMJHL) It is okay for the NHL to play games with no fans but there is no way that AHL or CHL teams can do so.
That being said if the AHL in the US decides to play will and the OHL decides to play with all teams based in Ontario would it make sense for Ertie to move to Belleville and the baby sens move to Erie. The same thing could be done with Brampton and Flint.

If however the OHL gets to a point where the season is going to be a wash out are they going to make a change in the rules so that players that were just drafted can practice with their NHL teams and or play in the AHL or ECHL. If not kids are going to lose a lot of their skills.

 

[AttackSound]

What happens when the go in the corners... in front of the net... no tying the puck up???, no faceoffs???, so when a goal is scored, the scored upon team carries it out of their own end...LUDICROUS! TOTAL NONSENSE!

At this point in time in game-play is really only one sliver of the whole issues around getting junior hockey to return to the CHL completely. Right off the hop just figuring out how leagues like the OHL are going operate is a challange in itself. Even with an anticipated December 1st start date to work with there's some simple questions that have yet to be answered and some non-concrete answers that already need some further thought to the whole situation before we the fans or anyone gets up in arms about goals scored or game-play situations.

Take for example this even if the league does follow through with a 64 game schedule and the U.S. teams have to play in Ontario for a season which we all can agree is looking more and more of a likelihood to see happen with no out of conference games played.This still leaves a Xmas list of hurdles that need to be determined what will happen, for example what is the scheduling going to look like for every team in the OHL will it be divisional?, conference? geographical? And if so what way will it be broken down to is it going to be alternate weeks between home and road games? Are we going to see pre-travel even to closer rival cities for safety and quarantining protocols? Are there going to be transactions allowed to be made they've set a loose date for the trade-deadline but no one really knows how that is going to play out yet. Are teams going to have to pay out for bigger expenses like more hotel rooms and meals etc. for these kids to play one week? How are teams going to control where and what players do when they're not playing games? Schooling for the young guys on OHL teams do teams try and hire teachers to teach these kids privately?

These are just some of a massive list of questions that will need to be resolved way before we the fans have to worry about whether or not players who play with grit can go into the corners and muscle the puck of guys or what happens when teams score goals on other teams. The in-game play will be resolved when the issues and the ever growing list of them begins to dwindle down. Even with Q starting earlier then the O and W have had there issues in the past week with two teams possibly contracting Covid-19 and that they're stuck going through the 14 day protocol for health and safety.

So before we all get up in arms about what we watch right in front of our faces I think there are much more issues that are on the OHL's and WhL's minds then physical play at the moment.

 

[Otto]

A question. It seems that no one in North America is able to control the virus. Therefore every time someone starts to do something it gets shut down (QMJHL) It is okay for the NHL to play games with no fans but there is no way that AHL or CHL teams can do so.
That being said if the AHL in the US decides to play will and the OHL decides to play with all teams based in Ontario would it make sense for Ertie to move to Belleville and the baby sens move to Erie. The same thing could be done with Brampton and Flint.

If however the OHL gets to a point where the season is going to be a wash out are they going to make a change in the rules so that players that were just drafted can practice with their NHL teams and or play in the AHL or ECHL. If not kids are going to lose a lot of their skills.

Well, drafted players can play in the higher leagues once their junior season is over. it stands to reason that if the OHL season is cancelled, it's over and thus they can play where the big teams wants them to. No special rules required

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

A question. It seems that no one in North America is able to control the virus. Therefore every time someone starts to do something it gets shut down (QMJHL) It is okay for the NHL to play games with no fans but there is no way that AHL or CHL teams can do so.

If however the OHL gets to a point where the season is going to be a wash out are they going to make a change in the rules so that players that were just drafted can practice with their NHL teams and or play in the AHL or ECHL. If not kids are going to lose a lot of their skills.

They could sign Amateur Try-Outs with their clubs AHL/ECHL club as Otto mentioned. This only solves the problem for the select players that are property of an NHL team though. If the OJHL/GOJHL/etc. are going to go, I guess players could play there and those leagues could perhaps expand the number of 16 year olds allowed on a roster. But the whole league can't be playing Jr. A or Jr. B.

I really don't know what the rest of the players would do and it could be very problematic for their development

 

[OMG67]

Well, drafted players can play in the higher leagues once their junior season is over. it stands to reason that if the OHL season is cancelled, it's over and thus they can play where the big teams wants them to. No special rules required

This assumes two things:

1> Those other leagues are operating
2> The players are strong enough to jump to that league. The vast majority of draft picks will not be strong enough.

I sort of like what Beast is saying with respect to trading rinks...
Flint - Brampton
Erie - Belleville

Saginaw could accept the invite from Chatham or maybe go to Cornwall.

If Saginaw went to Cornwall, you could have an Ottawa, Kingston, Cornwall division and an Oshawa, Belleville, Peterborough division. That would keep travel under 2 hours for each team. They’d be able to do their own 6 team Conference and not have to travel through the GTA at all.

This is all just fun speculation though.

 

[OMG67]

If the above were to happen where the Brampton Beast and the Belleville Baby Sens swap buildings with two of the US based OHL teams and the third US based team moves to Cornwall, it actually opens up a decent Divisional scenario:

Eastern Conference:
Div #1 - Oshawa - Peterborough - Belleville
Div #2 - Ottawa - Cornwall - Kingston

Western Conference
Div #1 - Niagara - Mississauga - Brampton - Hamilton
Div #2 - Windsor - Sarnia - London
Div #3 - Guelph - Kitchener - Barrie - Owen Sound
Div #4 - Sault - Sudbury - North Bay

The eastern Conference can play over 80% of their games inter conference. It doesn’t need to be a balanced schedule. At this point, who cares anyway? With all the other potential restrictions, why would we worry about the integrity of a schedule?

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

At this point, I can see the season starting in January at best. The NHL season will run until September/October of next year. There's no need to rush a start and finish in June as the offseason for most players will run from May-November/December.

My idea for a timeline would be:

January 1-May 15: 64-game regular season (11.5ish games a month compared to a normal 9/10)
May 16-July 15: Playoffs (July 15 is tentative, but 2 months allows for 14 day series of games every other day)
July 23-August 1: Memorial Cup
December 1: Start of 2021-22 season. Compact 68-game schedule allowing for a late-June/July Memorial Cup and back to September start for 2022-23.

As we all know, things change with covid by the hour, but this is just a proposed scenario based on things hopefully going smoothly. The biggest conflict with a late Memorial Cup this season is that the QMJHL will be done around the regular time and would have an extremely long wait until the Memorial Cup. Ask the Windsor Spitfires, it's not all that bad

 

[OMG67]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/me...ying-its-causing-irreparable-damage/ar-BB19N4

I've been targetting this approach now for months. Finally starting to see some reputable scientists start to push for same.

 

[Bear in the Woods]

At this point, I can see the season starting in January at best. The NHL season will run until September/October of next year. There's no need to rush a start and finish in June as the offseason for most players will run from May-November/December.

My idea for a timeline would be:

January 1-May 15: 64-game regular season (11.5ish games a month compared to a normal 9/10)
May 16-July 15: Playoffs (July 15 is tentative, but 2 months allows for 14 day series of games every other day)
July 23-August 1: Memorial Cup
December 1: Start of 2021-22 season. Compact 68-game schedule allowing for a late-June/July Memorial Cup and back to September start for 2022-23.

As we all know, things change with covid by the hour, but this is just a proposed scenario based on things hopefully going smoothly. The biggest conflict with a late Memorial Cup this season is that the QMJHL will be done around the regular time and would have an extremely long wait until the Memorial Cup. Ask the Windsor Spitfires, it's not all that bad

How would the teams generate revenue? Spectator capacity will be capped. Many people will likely avoid going to a game due to Covid fears. Several teams are just getting by as it is. Where will the money come from?
Like I mentioned earlier......most teams would be further ahead financially to cancel the season.

 

[OMG67]

At this point, I can see the season starting in January at best. The NHL season will run until September/October of next year. There's no need to rush a start and finish in June as the offseason for most players will run from May-November/December.

My idea for a timeline would be:

January 1-May 15: 64-game regular season (11.5ish games a month compared to a normal 9/10)
May 16-July 15: Playoffs (July 15 is tentative, but 2 months allows for 14 day series of games every other day)
July 23-August 1: Memorial Cup
December 1: Start of 2021-22 season. Compact 68-game schedule allowing for a late-June/July Memorial Cup and back to September start for 2022-23.

As we all know, things change with covid by the hour, but this is just a proposed scenario based on things hopefully going smoothly. The biggest conflict with a late Memorial Cup this season is that the QMJHL will be done around the regular time and would have an extremely long wait until the Memorial Cup. Ask the Windsor Spitfires, it's not all that bad

I'm not sure if every rink will have a viable surface in the summer. If it does, then I agree. I was thinking the same thing.

My personal belief is we will have the same precautions we have now through the entire winter and early spring. I think next May is the time we may start to see restrictions start to be lifted heading into summer. It is more likely we have fans in rinks for the summer.

Just speculation on my part though.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Toronto Marlies add defender Riley McCourt

McCourt was set to be an OA in Flint this season. I’m sure there’s more to come from the American teams

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

I'm not sure if every rink will have a viable surface in the summer. If it does, then I agree. I was thinking the same thing.

My personal belief is we will have the same precautions we have now through the entire winter and early spring. I think next May is the time we may start to see restrictions start to be lifted heading into summer. It is more likely we have fans in rinks for the summer.

Just speculation on my part though.

I’m sure it’s doable. I doubt there will be any other events going on by then, so it would be a more efficient use of the buildings then not having anything else if there are butts in seats, even if it’s minimal

 

[swoopster]

OMG ( no pun intended OMG67 ) the insanity of the talk going on here... who is going to pay for it? Mac Leod has already dictated as to how the league will play. Barring and absolute miracle, that is what reality of an OHL season will be.

 

[BadgerBruce]

If money is the issue, I could see the province stepping in more or less the way Quebec did. 12 Quebec-based teams, $20 million, roughly $1.5 million per team. Ontario would need to pony up a little over $25 million to do this for the Canadian-based OHL teams.

For what it’s worth, the Barrie Colts billed their parent company between $800K and $1.05 M to “provide hockey product” during the 2015-17 3 year period. I’m not saying that’s what every team needs, but my guess is that $1-1.5 million per team would keep them going.

So many moving pieces here ...

 

[Otto]

If money is the issue, I could see the province stepping in more or less the way Quebec did. 12 Quebec-based teams, $20 million, roughly $1.5 million per team. Ontario would need to pony up a little over $25 million to do this for the Canadian-based OHL teams.

For what it’s worth, the Barrie Colts billed their parent company between $800K and $1.05 M to “provide hockey product” during the 2015-17 3 year period. I’m not saying that’s what every team needs, but my guess is that $1-1.5 million per team would keep them going.

So many moving pieces here ...

I just don't see the Provincial Government giving anything until they settle the education and long term care issues. Not to mention many other areas of healthcare.

 

[Otto]

 

[OMG67]

I just don't see the Provincial Government giving anything until they settle the education and long term care issues. Not to mention many other areas of healthcare.

They're giving Walmart $$$. The only reason to exclude the OHL is for political reasons.

The Federal Government has also handed out hundreds of billions of dollars to businesses.

I think it would be somewhat discriminatory not to support all businesses provided they qualify based on their drop in revenue etc.

As of right now, there are two significant programs. One is the employee wage benefit where the Province is covering up to 75% of wages. The other is the rent subsidy where the Government is covering 50% of rent provided the landlords write off 25%.

I am sure the OHL qualifies for both of these. Then there is a lot of discretionary funding on top of that.

 

[BadgerBruce]

I would be interested in knowing what kind of Covid Medical Team the OHL has put together. One would think that a team made up of public health and epidemiological specialists would be of great value as the league tries to piece together a pathway forward that gains approval from all required parties.