G-League Hoping For A Chatham-Kent Franchise

A new hockey league is set to launch in Ontario, and organizers are hoping to see a franchise in Chatham-Kent.

The G-League will be a new offering moving forward from the Ontario Hockey Association, and aims to provide a path for amateur hockey players who graduate from Junior hockey programs to continue playing competitively, without facing professional players.

“This is the perfect time for this league. With the number of players that lost their final year of Junior Hockey combined with players that have aged out of junior hockey over the previous few years, we will be able to fill a gap in the offerings of the OHA to hockey players,” said Todd Wood, G-League Treasurer, and owner and GM of the Paris Mounties G-League franchise.

The G-League will welcome players between ages 21 and 28, who have no played professional hockey, unlike Senior ‘AAA’ teams in Ontario.

As for hopes of a team in Chatham-Kent, the OHA, which has several teams in the area at the Junior level, knows the region has a rich hockey background.

“Chatham-Kent is a proven hockey hotbed and we are confident that community support for a product like this would be outstanding,” said Wood.

The league is hoping a local owner will put forward a bid for a team in Chatham-Kent.

“As a league we are looking for owners that are interested in providing an opportunity to hockey players that are interested in continuing their competitive hockey experience. Owners that have a firm standing in the community and can procure ice time in their preferred areas. Owners that have the financial ability to confidently fund a program like this.”

The G-League is looking to get off the ground, and onto the ice as soon as this Fall.