Speculation: OHL may ban body checking

[carminejr]

Via Sportsnet. In what looks to be a craven political stunt, the OHL (now glorified house league) literally banned all hitting for this upcoming season in the name of covid prevention. Hoping we (and every other team) pulls our prospects from this circuit immediately. Hard to imagine Hockey Canada willfully going along with this and irreparably harming an entire age group’s development, just cancel at this point.

Click to read more...

 

[SML2]

The dawn of the soft Canadian is upon us. Now we need to draft Russians and Swedes for their grit factor.

 

[carminejr]

Waiting for the inevitable backtrack. Dreger already walking back comments after fierce backlash on twitter...Did they really think people would be ok with this?

 

[ElLeetch]

Wow. so kids coming out of the OHL will get *absolutely destroyed* by grown men once they reach NHL/AHL, because they never learned to take a hit when they were palying against other teens. what a SMART move.

 

[Leetch3]

update from dreger

 

[EdJovanovski]

Seems like a parody out of a South Park episode

 

[Edge]

 

[carminejr]

Uhhhh yeah the O is screwed

 

[Crease]

I assume regulators are saying “low-contact sports only” and this is the OHL’s way of operating within that framework? The issue is that you can’t play socially distant hockey, with or without hitting. Buses, locker rooms, benches, celebrations, etc.

 

[RGY]

How many of our guys play in the O?

 

[Clark Kellogg]

Is it April 1st already?

 

[Thirty One]

How many of our guys play in the O?

3. Skinner, Vierling, Cuylle.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

How many of our guys play in the O?

3?

Skinner, Cuylle and Vierling.

 

[Thirty One]

3?

Skinner, Cuylle and Vierling.

Plagiarism.

 

[Machinehead]

Just gonna paste what I texted Raspewtin and then posted on the main boards. Gotta be efficient:

So lemme see if I have this right.

We're gonna sit on the bench, bus, and dressing room together but let's ban hitting because the virus might...uh, pass from shoulder to shoulder?

Middle school science students understand virology better than this.

 

[nyr2k2]

I mean if it happened, which has not been confirmed, I don't think it would be that huge of a deal. What if they just canceled the season? Wouldn't that be worse? Guys will just have to focus on developing other areas of their games. Skinner will focus more on his PMD game, Cuylle can work on his play away from the puck, etc. It's not ideal but I don't think it means guys are going to suddenly get killed in a year when things (hopefully) return to normal.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Because of the Chl's stupid rules we cant send our guys to the A instead of back to juniors. I really hope they change their mind on this because I dont want our guys developing in a league where body checking isn't allowed.

 

[NYR]

Good lawd.. They've finally f***ed up hockey

 

[SML2]

Do what you gotta do to get a season ok'd. Then you can just pretend every game is like the NHL postseason and just put the whistle in your pocket unless a murder occurs.

 

[Thirty One]

Because of the Chl's stupid rules we cant send our guys to the A instead of back to juniors. I really hope they change their mind on this because I dont want our guys developing in a league where body checking isn't allowed.

It's not the CHL. It's the OHL specifically because the province of Ontario appears to have different science from the rest of the country.

 

[nyr2k2]

Because of the Chl's stupid rules we cant send our guys to the A instead of back to juniors. I really hope they change their mind on this because I dont want our guys developing in a league where body checking isn't allowed.

That rule literally keeps the CHL leagues going. Without them, almost all of the good drafted players would immediately leave for the AHL and the CHL's quality would take a really big hit.

I actually think it's a good rule for reasons beyond that, as it prevents teams from rushing players to the pro ranks before they're ready.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

It's not the CHL. It's the OHL specifically because the province of Ontario appears to have different science from the rest of the country.

Talking about the rule where junior players cant play in Ahl for the first few seasons after theyre drafted

 

[Thirty One]

Talking about the rule where junior players cant play in Ahl for the first few seasons after theyre drafted

Yes, I see that now. Sorry, I'm very dumb.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Yes, I see that now. Sorry, I'm very dumb.

All good it happens to the best of us

 

[Leetch3]

Just gonna paste what I texted Raspewtin and then posted on the main boards. Gotta be efficient:

So lemme see if I have this right.

We're gonna sit on the bench, bus, and dressing room together but let's ban hitting because the virus might...uh, pass from shoulder to shoulder?

Middle school science students understand virology better than this.

It’s also ok to tie a guy up along the boards and hang on each other as long as you don’t shove him into the boards