If border remains closed, I could see the 3 teams relocating before I could see them move forward with 17 Teams.
If the USA based teams decide not to play then I'm pretty sure that would make all their players contracts null and void as they would have not fulfilled on their agreement to "offer development" to their players.
Then what? Who knows......maybe they have a draft of the 3 teams players to all other 17 teams? But then what happens next season.....do they remain with their "new" team or go back.......situation is ugly either way.
Personally, I'd like to see the Ontario Government and the NHL reach into their pockets and do some sort of league subsidy.....not holding my breath on either stepping up though
First, I agree that the teams would choose to relocate all things being equal.
Problem. If there are teams not happy about playing but are somewhat forced to play, how much of that pressure will be applied to the American teams that not only have to lose money playing but lose additional money relocating? The possibility exists, they say, “we play in our city or don’t play.” How can the OHL apply force on that stance? I don’t have an answer for that.
Regarding players, I would think at absolute worse, they would be “loaned” to other teams. There is no way they would do a permanent dispersal draft. That would effectively fold three teams.
My issue with a US based division is they would be precluded from participating in the playoffs because:
A> They’d have to cross the border to play games
B> They’d have more than likely have to quarantine even if the border is open and vice-versa for Canadian teams
C> even if they work out a plan for the regular season and they build in a 14 day quarantine plan for the US based teams to play the playoffs, they’d still need to relocate for the playoffs. They wouldn’t be able to go back and forth.
I also agree with Otto regarding the subsidies. It would be up to PA and MI to subsidize their teams, not Ontario.
In my mind, the US based teams need to relocate if they want to participate in the OHL this season. Simple as that. I really don’t see a way around it that allows them to participate in the playoffs. Ball is really in their court. If they don't want to relocate and the league doesn’t cancel the season, I don’t see any options.