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Hockey Northwestern Ontario remains in a state of waiting when it comes to planning for next season.
President Jason Perrier says a regional ‘Return to Hockey; task team was put together last year, which was able to get a shortened season in before the plug was pulled in February.
“We have two health units with our branch. We have a great relationship with (both the Northwestern Health Unit and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit). We must follow their guidelines to what we can do and hopefully we can have full, non-cohort hockey in the fall.”
On Monday, Sports Minister Lisa MacLeod unveiled an acceleration of Ontario’s return-to-play plan for professional and amateur leagues.
The teams can hold non-contact practice and dry-land training and will be allowed to resume games as soon as August.
While the announcement did include a number of leagues it didn’t include the Superior International Hockey League or high school athletics.
HNO officials are hoping for meetings this month to discuss plans on the upcoming season, but have to wait for instruction on how to proceed from holding pattern.
Perrier notes there are more questions than answers as to what a season would look like.
“Players and parents will be asking about tournaments. I don’t have an answer for that as I just don’t know. We don’t know what we’re going to be allowed to do. How many people can we put in the building at one time, are we going to have masks or no masks, it’s too early to tell what’s going to happen.
Provincial officials have indicated that each step in the Roadmap to Reopen will last a minimum of 21 days.
Step One started on June 11.
