Next Season Scenarios

[Dogs Enthusiast 104]

a short season will suit them well in terms of player development in preparation for the 21-22 season.

Yes. The timing of the pandemic (as horrific and tragic as it is) is good for the Ice Dogs.

[Dogs Enthusiast 104]

I have been predicting this would happen for 6 months or more:

Government of Saskatchewan announces new funding to support junior hockey


Today, the Government of Saskatchewan announced funding to support the province’s Western Hockey League (WHL) teams and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). This support will help the survival of these leagues and their teams in Saskatchewan in the face of the challenges created by COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our junior hockey teams are a critical part of the cultural fabric and local economies across the province,” Minister of Trade and Export Development Jeremy Harrison said. “Necessary restrictions due to COVID-19 have had a significant impact on these leagues and their teams and this support will help them address these financial challenges.”

The provincial government is providing $3 million in support to help WHL teams address revenue shortfalls as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Each of Saskatchewan’s WHL teams will receive $600,000.

The SJHL will receive $1 million in provincial support. This funding will be provided to the League.

https://whl.ca/article/government-of...-junior-hockey



Don't be surprised that other Provincial governments do a similar thing.

[sabre11714]

I am all for help for the OHL. Just not for the London Knights!

[maddog]

Originally Posted by sabre11714

I am all for help for the OHL. Just not for the London Knights!

100%

[OlDawg]

Originally Posted by sabre11714

I am all for help for the OHL. Just not for the London Knights!

Who would support the Knights getting this 'reward' as they get so much from 'the League' ( ie=Branch )as it is.

[strohs]

That is great to see
And if I was an owner I wouldn?t turn down a free $600k

But I can?t imagine it?s going to help that much

Even with that I would guess each team is losing a decent amount of money

Great to see a govt step forward though

These teams should get some type of directed funding ... seems like every other industry gets something


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NiceDawg]

Originally Posted by strohs

And if I was an owner I wouldn't turn down a free $600k

Great to see a govt step forward though

Govt? Free? Hmm, thought this was Ontario... bound to be conditions of repayment.

[fishfan51]

Latest shutdown surely dooms OHL season

https://www.thespec.com/sports/hamil...hl-season.html

And with that, any hope that the Hamilton Bulldogs and the rest of the Ontario Hockey League might get on the ice this season surely died, didn’t it?

Only the most cockeyed optimists who closed their eyes, plugged their ears and yelled la-la-la while the latest COVID information was being presented Tuesday could possibly see a path to hockey any time soon.

Not that there hadn’t been a brief flicker of hope.

[Blacksox]

Originally Posted by fishfan51

Latest shutdown surely dooms OHL season

https://www.thespec.com/sports/hamil...hl-season.html

Some interesting and valid points written in this article...

The columnist wrote, “At what point does it become meaningless?”

The 20-21 season is already past meaningless in terms of deciding an OHL champion. At this point, any type of OHL championship would not be truly legitimate. It’s pointless to attempt that, but that shouldn't be the OHL's primary goal anyways.

The columnist also wrote,"Yet, with the province now in a state of emergency with a stay-at-home order in effect, cases rising, schools closed, data models now pointing to 5,000 cases a day in Ontario..,"

His statistics are inaccurate – Ontario peaked in the 4000s and has steadily decreased during this current lockdown. In fact, today the number have dropped to 1913 new cases.

Ontario is moving towards this lockdown being lifted by late February at the latest - allowing the OHL to go ahead with their return to play plans in March or April. Unfortunately, it will be nothing more than a series of exhibition games (20-24) against 4 other teams – followed by a short turn around to officially drop the puck on the 21-22 OHL season.

Selfishly, as an IceDog fan, that serves this young group well, however, these games will also serve the greater good of the OHL:
1. Player development league-wide.
2. Scouting of draft eligible players.

As Giancarlo Chanton mentioned in his recent interview with Rod Mawhood - OHL scouted games is essential for those players beyond the first two rounds of the draft. OHL is currently making plans to do exactly that once the lockdown is lifted.

***

[retired/sectionJ]

Originally Posted by Blacksox

Some interesting and valid points written in this article...

The columnist wrote, “At what point does it become meaningless?”

The 20-21 season is already past meaningless in terms of deciding an OHL champion. At this point, any type of OHL championship would not be truly legitimate. It’s pointless to attempt that, but that shouldn't be the OHL's primary goal anyways.

The columnist also wrote,"Yet, with the province now in a state of emergency with a stay-at-home order in effect, cases rising, schools closed, data models now pointing to 5,000 cases a day in Ontario..,"

His statistics are inaccurate – Ontario peaked in the 4000s and has steadily decreased during this current lockdown. In fact, today the number have dropped to 1913 new cases.

Ontario is moving towards this lockdown being lifted by late February at the latest - allowing the OHL to go ahead with their return to play plans in March or April. Unfortunately, it will be nothing more than a series of exhibition games (20-24) against 4 other teams – followed by a short turn around to officially drop the puck on the 21-22 OHL season.

Selfishly, as an IceDog fan, that serves this young group well, however, these games will also serve the greater good of the OHL:
1. Player development league-wide.
2. Scouting of draft eligible players.

As Giancarlo Chanton mentioned in his recent interview with Rod Mawhood - OHL scouted games is essential for those players beyond the first two rounds of the draft. OHL is currently making plans to do exactly that once the lockdown is lifted.

***

Thanks Blacksox but, it should be noted that the 1913 is most likely incorrect as there were technical issues in Toronto today, so, their number will most likely be higher.
Don't get me wrong though. I like today's number and hopefully , we see a downward trend.