The puck won’t start here
Hopes for a GOJHL season are dashed by stay-at-home order
Hopes for even a semblance of a junior B hockey season were dashed Monday when the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League cancelled the 2020-21 season.
A provincewide stay-at-home order that will remain in effect until at least May 6, left the league little choice but to pull the plug on what was Brent Garbutt’s first official day as the 26-team league’s new commissioner.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating to all Ontarians for so many reasons,” Garbutt said.
“Our front-line workers have certainly endured the greatest challenges and losses, but our devoted athletes, coaches and staff who live for the game have lost as well.”
Garbutt said the league will focus its attention on a returnto-play plan for the 2021-22 season, hopefully in September.
“We want to thank all the players, parents, sponsors, volunteers and fans for their continued support and understanding through these difficult times, and we look forward to seeing everyone back in the arenas in the fall,” he said. He cautioned, however, that those plans are tentative, “knowing full well that we are not yet out of this pandemic and there will be more obstacles to overcome in the future.”
Timing was also cited in the “difficult and unfortunate decision,” the league said in a release posted on its website. With all recreational facilities closed to the public, most centres are already in the process of taking their ice out.
“There simply is no way of completing any kind of meaningful season,” the league said.
Six of the Golden Horseshoe Conference’s nine teams are based in Niagara: Fort Erie Meteors, Niagara Falls Canucks, Pelham Panthers, St. Catharines Falcons, Thorold Blackhawks, Welland Jr. Canadians.