Hockey shutout by COVID-19

“Now the final flick, of a hockey stick and the one gigantic scream. ‘The puck is in!’ The home team wins! The good ol’ hockey song.” 

 

Stompin’ Tom Connors’ lyrics and love for the game could not have envisioned a time when a global pandemic forced the end of a season and possibly some players’ dreams. 

 

For almost everyone not deemed an “essential worker”, the outbreak of COVID-19 means social distancing and no work. For others, the biggest downfall is the cancellation of sports and an unexpected end to their careers. Following NBA player Rudy Gobert’s contraction of the virus, major leagues put holds on their seasons. Junior leagues soon followed suit. 

   

To prevent the spread of the virus among players, staff and fans, Hockey Canada announced in a March 13 press release the end of all sanctioned hockey events and team gatherings.Over the following days and weeks, leagues would go on to cancel the remainder of the regular season and playoffs. For some players, the decision meant — whether they realized it or not — they had played their last junior hockey game of their career. 

 

“It makes it hurt a little bit more, as we were about to go on a run and win the coveted championship we were working for all year,” said Kade McKibbin, captain for the Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. 

 

“We found out in the middle of our game on March 12 [that the season was over]. We were lucky to even have the game at that point.  Most leagues were already cancelled at that point so at least one positive is we got to know it was our last game unlike other teams and other players.”

 

The Flyers were in the middle of Game 1 of their semi-final matchup against the St. Mary Lincolns and as McKibbin noted, no one could have predicted the outbreak or how to have handled it. The Flyers team is one of the oldest teams in the league, with an average age of 19.12 years old.  Ten of their 23-man roster are graduating players, who were born in 1999. 

 

Tilbury’s Brett Brochu was in the middle of his first season in the Ontario Hockey League with the London Knights. The 17-year-old had recently set the rookie wins record for the franchise and was in the running for the top goalie in the league award before the season was cut short. The OHL ended their regular season and cancelled playoffs.  

 

“There isn’t really much any of the players can do about it,” said Brochu, as he returned back home after being billeted in London. “I guess trying to stay positive and work hard off the ice right now. This has definitely been a tough week with the news that we got, especially looking at our team, we could have done some really good things this year.”

 

Brochu said he is focusing on staying healthy and continuing to stay in shape after his first successful season in the OHL. McKibbin also said  he is hoping to stay in shape and workout with his younger brother, to build them towards their success as each aspires to play hockey at the next level respectively. McKibbon’s younger brother, Nolan, was drafted by the Kingston Frontenacs in the 12th round of the OHL draft, 225th overall on April 4. 

 

“Working out is a part of my daily routine and I hope I have a lot of hockey left,” said McKibbin. “I work out with my younger brother who has a lot of hockey left, and we push each other. A lot of scouts for teams were going to be there if we made it to the finals and they were going to be at the London Leamington final. And all the good teams from USports were going to be there to recruit players, but that did not happen so I just have to hope I made a good impression on them.”  

 

Dave Bracken has been the head coach for the Belle River Nobles hockey team for the last 10 seasons. Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Nobles had earned their fourth consecutive OFSAA berth and were going for their second title in four years prior to the tournament being cancelled. Bracken said the issue at hand is bigger than sports and he understands why the season was called off, but he wishes he could have informed the kids better.

 

“I had a bunch of feelings when I heard OFSAA was cancelled and not postponed — shocked, disappointed, confused come to mind ⁠— but I was not mad,” said Bracken. “After taking a day to sink in I knew it would take something drastic for OFSAA to cancel their championships. It was then I had a bit of fear set in realizing how big this pandemic actually was. Mike and I were unable to tell the boys in person. I know the boys were extremely disappointed, but they are a great bunch and I know they understand the reason why.”

 

Bracken said he thinks the cancellation of the tournament will likely have other repercussions.Belle River was supposed to host the championship next season, and school has offered to push hosting it back a year in order to provide St. Francis in St. Catharines their chance to host the tournament. Bracken says the tournaments are planned three years ahead of time and a vote will be heard in June to finalize this move. 

 

While the seasons may have been at different stages, with players of all different ages, they all ended the same way — with the final horn blowing and the players leaving the ice. The 2020 season is now a memory for all hockey players, from novice to OHL. All they can do is celebrate the goals and accomplishments they had before the clock ran out.

 

Both Brochu and McKibbin admit that in a few years their perspective and disappointment may change.

 

“Hopefully in a couple years we can look back at this and laugh,” said McKibbin as he reflects on his junior hockey career being cut short. “We had a good team and we were going on the coveted run for the championship this season. Right now, it just stings.”