GOJHL forced to delay regular-season play again

CAMBRIDGE – With the province-wide shutdown’s new restrictions closing indoor sports facilities, the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League’s (GOJHL) Return to Play plans have been put on hold . . . again.
Although key components of the league’s Return to Play were previously released, a timeline for teams to return to the ice must wait until after the Covid shutdown measures are lifted.
“Our priority is to exhaust all options in order to have some form of a season,” GOJHL Commissioner Mark Tuck said in a recent press release, dated Dec. 22. “We are doing everything we can to get our players, teams and league through development and gameplay to a safe return to the ice.”
The GOJHL continues to work with local Public Health Units and facilities to develop an updated Return to Play Plan that includes the measures necessary to protect players, officials, staff and fans.
In November, the GOJHL had received approval by the Ontario Hockey Federation to proceed with 5-on-5 Modified Playing Rules for the 2020-21 hockey season. Featuring most traditional aspects of gameplay, the plan also included accommodations for enhanced player safety–both on and off the ice.
The league was hoping to start its regular season in early December, but a spike in Covid-19 cases in the province necessitated a delay. The latest target date to hopefully start the season was Jan. 15. However, chances of any kind of regular season suffered another serious blow when the Ontario government announced its recent 28-day lockdown for the province.
“To our teams, players, volunteers and fans, thank you for your continued support and understanding as the GOJHL, along with the entire province of Ontario, works through this challenging time,” Tuck added in the press release.
Not a surprise
St. Marys Lincolns’ president Brandon Boyd said he was “not entirely surprised” by the most-recent lockdown announcement.
“Once the Pyramid Rec. Centre re-opens, we aim to practice once again in an effort to allow these players to continue their development as members of the Lincolns,” Boyd told the newspaper.
“The Return to Play meetings will continue throughout January, and we’re committed to finding a solution until the governing hockey bodies decide otherwise. As other organizations can attest to, the constant unknown nature of this process makes for some challenging planning, but we’ll make sure our best foot is put forward.”