Like players on the ice, the Ontario Hockey League and its 20 teams making a change towards the 2021-22 season after the league announced Tuesday it has ended its efforts to begin to play this season.
"We were committed to the safe return of our players," said David Branch, commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League. "We want our players on the ice. Saying that we recognize the importance of them getting back to play on their mental and physical health."
A rise in COVID-19 cases and a provincial stay-at-home order in the past few weeks thwarted the league's effort to implement a Return to Play Plan approved by the Ontario government.
Ontario officials gave the OHL okay in mid-march on a plan that would have had four hub cities in the province, according to the commissioner. Branch did not give an indication on which cities were considered to serve as a hub. Players would have stayed in hotels with comprehensive testing. The league would have followed a plan to return to the ice similar to those implemented by the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators of the NHL.
Branch admitted with a different financial state than NHL clubs, the league noted the need for financial help. To meet the demand of testing for an OHL season, the Ontario government offered help to pay for and provide the available tests
"We would have had some government support from that end," said Branch.
With no season this year, OHL teams will go without games for almost 19 months. Despite the long layoff Branch expects all 20 teams to return to the league next year
"I would qualify to the extent that there are some challenges," said Branch. "We're 20 teams strong and we will support each other and we will find a way to not only present our franchises next year but as well as meet the high standards we have established."
Erie Otter's management was one team that was confident it will return to play in Erie next season.
"We blessed to have an owner who is 100 percent committed. and I think you'll see that not only will we be back in September, but we will be back bigger and strong than ever," said Erie Otters general manager Dave Brown. "The message we sent to the player this morning was that we spent a lot of time in the last 13 months on character development and working on things like resilience and adversity. This kind of plays right into it and we're going, to have brand new ideas and we're going to rev up the excitement at the Erie Insurance Arena."
While Branch remains confident in a return for all teams next year he did admit the work that will be needed to return to pre-pandemic form.
"We're confident our model is all about player development on and off the ice," said Branch. "The program we provide to our players whether its mental health programs, of course, our scholarship program, no one does it better. But hey, we're going to have to work that much harder."
With the focus shifting to next year, Branch said a timeline on events moving forward, including the OHL Priority Selection should be announced in the next 7-10 days. The OHL expects to play a full 68-game schedule, with training camps opening on Labor Day weekend.
"We are working through s number of elements on the structure of games and number of games."