There s no skating around the issue of another OHL season in pandemic jeopardy by Matt Swanseger
Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
What the puck is up with the 2020-21 Erie Otters season?
Well, it s a sliding target. After missing its traditional September start date, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) initially announced plans to push back the regular season until December, with a slightly reduced 64-game slate. The postseason tournament was to include the usual 16 teams, eight from each conference.
When it was clear that wasn t going to happen, the league proposed a 40-game season beginning on Feb. 4, with a reduced playoff field of eight teams. However, a month-long provincial shutdown in Ontario body-checked that plan into the bench. With that shutdown only recently lifted on Jan. 23, that goal is in doubt, and shot opportunities grow ever scarcer.
A unique edition of the IIHF World Junior Championship is about to get underway.
With no fans in attendance, the IIHF is breaking out their own Edmonton bubble to try to get this year’s tournament completed without creating any health crises. Canada is on home ice looking to defend the gold medal they won in the Czech Republic last year.
Usually at this point in the year the NHL season would already be well underway. In that sense, excitement for this year’s tournament is even higher than normal for starved hockey fans.
See also:
Pre-tournament games began yesterday, with a highly anticipated exhibition game between Canada and Russia scheduled for today (6 pm ET/3 pm PT on TSN). The tournament begins on Christmas Day, with Canada opening the tournament against Germany on Boxing Day.
World Junior Championship Group A preview
Canada s forward depth fuels repeat bid; Finland will rely on defense by Adam Kimelman @NHLAdamK / NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Canada s deep, versatile group of forwards could make it the favorite to win the IIHF World Junior Championship for the second straight year.
That depth will be important after forward Kirby Dach, their captain and a Chicago Blackhawks forward, injured his right wrist during a pre-tournament game against Russia on Wednesday and will not play in the tournament.
Even without Dach, Canada s remaining 13 forwards each is a first-round NHL draft pick. That includes four players who returning from the 2020 WJC championship team: Quinton Byfield (Los Angeles Kings), Dylan Cozens (Buffalo Sabres), Connor McMichael (Washington Capitals) and Dawson Mer
Byfield, Dach lead Canada World Junior Championship roster
No. 2 pick by Kings, Blackhawks forward among six returning players by Adam Kimelman @NHLAdamK / NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Quinton Byfield, selected by the Los Angeles Kings with the No. 2 pick of the 2020 NHL Draft, is one of six players returning for Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The forward, who was named to the final 25-player roster announced Friday, had one assist in seven games when Canada won the 2020 World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. Canada defeated Russia 4-3 in the final. Last year was a good experience and I got to experience a lot of the older guys and how they prepare themselves and what it really takes to win a gold medal, Byfield said during selection camp. Hopefully me, along with a couple o