Ontario Hockey League To Return With NO Bodychecking

If the Ontario Hockey League wants to hold a season for the 2020-2021 campaign, they must play the games without bodychecking.

Ontario's minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culter Industries, Lisa MacLeod, spoke to several media outlets on Wednesday. MacLeod spoke on a number of health related issues hockey was facing and more specifically, of course, issues the province of Ontario was facing during this pandemic. One of the pressing issues was how the league was going to return to play, which was mentioned a December start seems likely. But not without this massive change of no bodychecking.

MacLeod mentioned:

It would be safe to say that body contact, unless it's incremental, will not be permitted as a result of COVID-19. That would pose a challenge in terms of how they amend their play. We work incredibly well with them, (OHL commissioner) David Branch is a part of our ministerial advisory committee as well, so they're well aware of the health crisis that we find ourselves in in the second wave.

While this is certainly a huge issue as the league continues to negotiate with the Ontario government, one of the many other issues is the OHL is home to three American teams. Not only do they have to find these teams homes in Ontario as they cannot go back and forth over the border, there's two teams that are in the hot zone of Covid right now.

As of right now, the 'Bubble' is off the table, and so is bodychecking. 2020, it's been a slice.