While the OHL has not confirmed the reports, both Sportsnet's Jeff Marek and TSN's Darren Dreger have reported that the start of the league's season has been pushed to Feb. 4.
- 1 or 2 exhibition games Jan 29 - 31 then right into the season.
— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) October 28, 2020
- There was no talk about what happens with U.S teams.
- No details about how how games/schedule will be determined but it is believed teams may only play against 4 or 5 other squads.
The league had been aiming for a Dec. 1 start, a date that was looking more and more unlikely by the day given the steady rise of COVID-19 cases in many parts of Ontario. Still, the Feb. 4 date is a bit of a surprise given the WHL's plan to start in early January.
Marek added that, under this format, the OHL's season would end May 14 - two weeks later than the league had announced in August.
The Memorial Cup host, meanwhile, still has not been announced. It is, for the time being, scheduled to be hosted by either Oshawa or Sault Ste. Marie from June 17-27.
In the QMJHL, at least four Quebec-based teams are expected to be back in action this weekend. Rimouski will play a pair of games against Baie-Comeau while Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d'Or will also meet twice. All four teams are located outside red zones.
The league has not announced the status of games involving teams within red zones, but did confirm that games involving teams with previously confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 - Blainville-Boisbriand, Sherbrooke and Drummondville - will not play this weekend.
All 12 Quebec-based teams have been out of action since Thanksgiving weekend.
Elsewhere, the AHL has pushed its start date to Feb. 5. And in the AUS, the UNB Reds announced their captains and showed off new jerseys which... is may be good news that we'll see some university hockey around these parts this year? We'll see.
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