No pucks will be dropping in 2021, unless the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) stops body checking to help limit the spread of COVID-19.
In early October, Ontario’s minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries, Lisa MacLeod, announced the OHL should remove body checking if it wants to return to play in December as planned.
The announcement comes in light of MacLeod calling for reduced physical contact among players of all sports to lower the chance of spreading COVID-19.
“For players who grew up with body contact, it’s something totally different for them that they would have to get used to, but players are constantly getting used to different scenarios,” Van Allen said. “Players would find a way.”
Luke Strickland, a current Ontario Junior Hockey League player who was drafted to the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL in 2018, said he originally agreed with the proposal to remove body checking in light of COVID-19, but now he isn’t certain.
Strickland explained because the OHL is a developmental league to get to the NHL, it will be difficult for players to progress to the professional level without contact.
“It wouldn’t be a good thing to do, just because it eliminates the proposal of going to the next level,” he said. “You need the physicality … it’s what scouts look for when [players] step into the National Hockey League.”
Strickland added no hitting could force players to change their game completely.
“It also eliminates the factors of people who are on the team that have roles to be hitting,” he said. “That almost defeats the purpose of them playing hockey.”
Emma Weller, a first-year Carleton University women’s hockey player, said she doesn’t agree with banning body checking because hockey is an “invasive sport.”
“When you are standing beside someone at the face off, ready for puck drop, you are just as close as a hit would be,” she said. “There’s many more instances on the ice when you’re super close to somebody that is not just hitting.”
Justina Beard, a third-year Carleton University women’s hockey player, said she thinks other measures could be taken to reduce the chance of transmitting COVID-19.
“There are maybe some more options before just removing contact altogether,” she said. “Because I think [contact] is a big part of men’s hockey.”
Beard referenced a Bauer splash guard as a potential option to help keep players safe amid the return to play.
The splash guard sold by hockey equipment manufacturer Bauer, which costs $27.99, is a clear plastic attachment that fits onto helmets with the aim of reducing water droplets from hitting players’ faces.
However, the description for the attachment notes it is a “non-medical grade protector” and that it is not guaranteed it will prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria.
Van Allen said players wearing full-face visors could come with issues. Players might be more protected from the virus, but he said the new equipment could change players’ visibility on the ice.
“If there was body contact, there may be times where they lose sight of the puck which may open up an opportunity for more concussions to take place,” he said. “You’re better protected [from COVID-19], but it might also bring your head down.”
Whatever rules are implemented to keep the league going, Van Allen said he thinks players will be willing to compromise for the sake of playing the game.
“If that’s the choice, between not playing and playing, I think it’s easy for the players to decide on that one, I think everyone will choose to play,” he said.
Weller agreed, and said the alternative of not playing is “heartbreaking” for athletes like her.
“We know that as these times are so tough that there’s not really another option,” she said. “For my love of the game, I feel that I would be able to take that part out and still play, just for the sake of playing.”
Strickland said he is less sure athletes will be willing to compromise, and that a no-contact season may hurt the OHL in the long run.
“Maybe people that are playing in the OHL now will take a break from the OHL, even though it is a great league, and they’ll maybe go play in Europe, Sweden, or Finland,” he said.
“Develop their game even more out there, just because they can hit, they can do everything that they usually do in hockey, and that will help them get to the next level.”
He added the uncertainty of when the season will resume and what it might look like is causing some players to rethink their involvement.
“A couple people have fully given up on hockey and just went to school because they never know when it’s going to return,” he said.
Beard said she thinks removing body checking could cause the league to lose some fans, but it could have positive effects for women’s hockey, which is already a no-contact sport.
“Maybe removing contact from the OHL can promote women’s hockey in a way,” she said. “If the fans watch the OHL play non-contact hockey, it will make them realize that it’s also enjoyable to watch hockey like that as well.”
Although she thinks the OHL may have to get creative with solutions, Beard said she thinks it is important for athletes to return to play for the mental health benefits during COVID-19.
“I do think that it is important for the athletes in the OHL to be playing right now because for me, hockey is a big stress reliever,” she said. “I think that goes for many more athletes as well.”
Van Allen agreed, and said his team is skating three times a week while maintaining social distancing.
“We’ve had a lot of feedback where this is the best part of their day,” he said. “It is really helping their mental well-being, being able to come to the rink and work on skills that are going to make them better.”
Van Allen said until we know more about COVID-19, everyone in the hockey community will have to be flexible.
“I still think we don’t know everything about [COVID-19]. We’re still learning,” he said. “The only way you figure that out is over time and you’re going to probably have to try things.”
Featured image by Spencer Colby
