OHL PUTS END TO REGULAR SEASON BUT HOPES THERE CAN BE PLAYOFFS
While the regular season is now officially over for the OHL and the Windsor Spitfires, there still remains hope that playoffs can be concluded at some point.
On Wednesday, the OHL became the third and final league in the Canadian Hockey League to call its regular season, which was scheduled to end on Sunday, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The QMJHL cancelled the remainder of its regular season on Tuesday and the WHL made the same call about two hours before the OHL on Wednesday.
“In the interest of the safety of our players, officials, staff, fans and the general public, it’s been agreed that the cancellation of the remainder of the 2019-20 regular season is the proper course of action to take at this time,” OHL commissioner David Branch said in a release.
A total of 56 regular-season games will not be played, which includes six for the Spitfires. Two of those were home dates at the WFCU Centre. Details on obtaining a refund for fans are available at: windsorspitfires. com
“We are continuing to monitor ongoing public health developments regarding COVID-19,” Branch said. “When it is safe, and we may resume play, we will advise on the status of the 2020 OHL playoffs. We thank OHL players and their families, fans and partners for their continued patience and understanding throughout this challenging situation.”
The league gave no indication of when a decision will be made on the playoffs or what format it might take.
“We will continue to evaluate, moving forward, based on government and medical direction,” Spitfires general manager Bill Bowler said. “We’re in unprecedented times. Hockey is second at the moment.
“We’re hopeful and we all want to get back to normalcy and everyone is hopeful the Memorial Cup will be a go, and we’ll just have to move things back.”
If the league stays with its top-eight teams advancing to the playoffs, the fifth-seeded Spitfires would face the fourth-seeded Flint Firebirds in a Western Conference quarter-final series at some point.
“We’re just really hoping for a playoff,” said Spitfires captain Luke Boka, who is now back home in Michigan.
As well, the OHL announced its annual draft of minor-midget players will take place, as planned, on April 4. The QMJHL announced it will move its June 6 draft online, like the CHL, and not hold the event in Sherbrooke. It also announced its league meetings, set for June 3-5, have been cancelled.
“With what’s going on, there was a possibility,” Bowler said of the OHL draft being moved back or cancelled. “It’s good news because everything’s status quo and we continue to do what we do.”
As it stands, the Spitfires will have the 14th pick in the first round of the OHL draft. Windsor also owns Flint’s pick in the second round (No. 36) and London’s pick in the second round (No. 39) from previous trades.