The 2020–21 OHL season would have been the 41st season of the Ontario Hockey League. After the 2019–20 OHL season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league initially planned to play a full 68-game regular season beginning in September 2020. However, due to continued public health orders and increasing cases of COVID-19 in Ontario, the league eventually shortened the planned season and postponed it indefinitely in December 2020. By April 2021, the league ultimately cancelled the season.
Postponement and cancellation
The regular season was originally planned to begin in September 2020 and end in March 2021 as each of the 20 teams would play 68 games, followed by 16 teams playing in the post-season. On August 5, 2020, the OHL announced that the start of the regular season was moved to December 1, 2020, and would end on April 29, 2021. Each team was to play a condensed 64 game schedule, followed by a playoff format in which 16, eight from each conference, would participate in.[1]
On October 29, the league announced an updated timeline for the season, moving the opening date of the regular season to February 4, 2021. The regular season would end on May 8, 2021, as the clubs would play a 40 game schedule against opponents in their geographic region. The post-season would consist of eight teams playing three rounds to determine the J. Ross Robertson Cup champion.[2]
Due to Ontario's provincewide shutdown in December 2020, which ordered the closure of all sports and recreation facilities with limited exceptions for "high-performance athletes and specified professional leagues",[3][4] the OHL delayed the season indefinitely on December 23, 2020, and stated that they would work with health officials in order to determine potential start dates in 2021.[5] While it had discussed the use of hub cities as used in portions of the WHL and QMJHL seasons, the OHL had not yet announced any plans for a return to play while still committed to a 2020–21 season.[6]
In April 2021, Ontario implemented a second provincewide shutdown and stay-at-home order due to widespread infections involving variants of concern.[7] The OHL was intended to host the 2021 Memorial Cup, but no host city was ever announced. On April 13, 2021, the Memorial Cup was cancelled for the second season in a row due to logistical issues associated with the pandemic.[8] On April 20, 2021, the OHL announced that due to continued public health orders and the need to provide certainty to players and staff, the 2020–21 season has been cancelled and would not be played.[9]
On May 5, 2021, the league announced the results of their first-ever Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection Draft Lottery. The Sudbury Wolves won the lottery [10] and selected Quentin Musty from the North Jersey Avalanche of the AYHL.[11] The Niagara IceDogs forfeited their first round draft pick due to violating league recruitment rules.
These are the results for the first round of the draft:[12]
On June 30, 2021, the Canadian Hockey League conducted the 2021 CHL Import Draft, in which teams in all three CHL leagues participate in. The Barrie Colts held the first pick in the draft by a team in the OHL.[13] The Colts selected Artur Cholach from Ukraine with the OHL's first selection in the draft.
Below are the players who were selected in the first round by Ontario Hockey League teams in the 2021 CHL Import Draft.[14]
McMichael finished second in team scoring, as he scored four goals and eight points in seven games. Byfield finished the tournament with two goals and seven points in seven games, Perfetti scored two goals and six points in seven games and Tomasino recorded four goals and six points in seven games. Quinn scored one goal and five points in seven games, Suzuki had two goals and four points in seven games. On defense, Drysdale earned two assists in seven games and Harley scored a goal in seven games
Canada finished in first place in Group A during the preliminary round, as they recorded 12 points. In the quarter-finals, Canada shutout the Czech Republic 3-0, followed by a 5-0 shutout victory over Russia in the semi-finals, earning a berth in the gold medal game. In the final game, Canada lost to the United States 2-0, claiming the silver medal in the tournament.
Mysak scored two goals and three points in five games during the tournament, while Has earned an assist in five games. In four games, Malik posted a 1-2-0 record with a 2.90 GAA and a 0.890 save percentage, while earning a shutout.
The team finished the preliminary round in fourth place in Group B, as the Czech Republic earned six points in four games. The Czech Republic finished the tournament in seventh place as they lost to Canada by a score of 3–0 in the quarter-finals.
Piiroinen posted a 4-2-0 record with a 2.18 GAA and a 0.915 save percentage in six games, while Rafkin appeared in one game, earning no points.
Finland finished the preliminary round with nine points and in second place in Group A. Finland defeated Sweden 3-2 in the quarter-finals, however, they lost to the United States in the semi-finals by a score of 4-3. In the bronze medal game, Finland defeated Russia 4-1.
In five games, Alberg earned two assists. In two games, both Samanski and Reisnecker were held off the score sheet.
Germany finished the preliminary round in third place in Group A, as the team earned five points in four games. In the quarter-finals, Germany lost to Russia by a close score of 2–1 to finish in sixth place in the tournament.
Afanasyev scored two goals and five points in seven games, while Chayka earned no points in six games.
Russia finished in second place in Group B during the preliminary round, earning eight points. In the quarter-finals, Russia defeated Germany by a score of 2-1. In the semi-finals, they lost to Canada 5-0 and an appearance in the bronze medal game. In the final game, Russia lost to Finland 4-1 to finish the tournament in fourth place.
In five games, Chromiak scored a goal, while both Jendek and Mudrak were held to no points.
Slovakia finished the preliminary round in fourth place in Group A, as the team earned four points in four games. In the quarter-finals, Slovakia lost to the United States by a score of 5–2.
Delemont scored a goal in three games for Switzerland, while Chanton had no points in four games.
Switzerland finished in last place in Group A during the preliminary round, earning no points in four games. The team finished the tournament in ninth place.
Kaliyev scored three goals and eight points in seven games, which placed him in a tie for second on the team scoring list. Skinner appeared in one game, earning no points.
The United States finished in first place in Group B during the preliminary round as they earned nine points. In the quarter-finals, the USA defeated Slovakia 5-2. In the semi-finals, they defeated Finland by a score of 4-3, advancing to the gold medal game. In the final game of the tournament, the United States shutout Canada 2-0 to win the gold medal for the fifth time in the history of the tournament.
Wright was named captain of the team, while McTavish served as an alternate captain.[19]
Wright led Canada in scoring, as he had nine goals and 14 points in five games. His nine goals set a Canadian record for most goals by one player at the tournament. McTavish scored five goals and 11 points in seven games, while Pinelli had four goals and 11 points in seven games. In goal, Gaudreau posted a 5-0-0 record with a 2.20 GAA and a .919 save percentage.
Canada finished in first place in Group A during the preliminary round, as they recorded 12 points in four games. In the quarter-finals, Canada defeated the Czech Republic 10-3, followed by another lopsided victory, as the team defeated Sweden 8-1 to earn a berth in the gold medal game. In the final game, Canada defeated Russia 5-3 to win the tournament.
