Sports Net – The Ontario Hockey League will not have bodychecking this coming season. Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s minister of sport, confirmed the decision on Friday afternoon. She said that removing purposeful physical contact from the game was a necessary step to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
The OHL announced on Thursday that it plans to start a shortened season on Feb. 4.
MacLeod said the decision was influenced by the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, which had several COVID-19 outbreaks on its teams earlier this fall.
The fact that one of the greatest Junior Hockey leagues in the world are going to ban checking is ludicrous. How can you expect the best players in the world play a full season, while also expecting them to enter the NHL in the near future. What exactly does checking have to do with contracting COVID-19?
Anyone that has played hockey or watched hockey knows that there are plenty of other opportunities to spread COVID-19, but to remove checking? What does that even really do?
In my opinion, this rule will push kids away from the OHL and ultimately diminish the league.
