OHL Announces Further Delay To Start Of Season

Ontario Hockey League (OHL) commissioner David Branch announced today, that after meeting with the Board of Governors and General Managers, the OHL has made the decision to delay the start of the 2020-21 season.

“The safety of all of our stakeholders and communities is our priority and we are committed to starting the 2020-21 season when it is safe to do so. We know that this is difficult news for many of our players, fans, billets, parents, staff, and teams,” said Branch. “However, the restrictions both provincially in Ontario as well as nationally with regards to cross-border travel have informed our decision.”

Training camps had been scheduled to begin in mid-January, many players were set to report to their teams in early January, and games were scheduled to commence on February 4, 2021. This decision follows Premier Ford’s announcement of a province-wide shut down in Ontario commencing on December 26, 2020. The League will continue to consult and work closely with Governments and health authorities to determine potential start dates in the new year.

“We know this is news none of us wanted to hear,” Sarnia Sting general manager Dylan Seca commented on the decision. “Our players have dedicated themselves this off-season and throughout the pause to their development on the ice and becoming the best versions of themselves off the ice, exemplifying what it means to be a part of the Sarnia Sting, I am extremely proud of how they have stepped up during these difficult times.”

No potential start date has been scheduled.