LONDON, ONT. -- It doesn’t seem that long ago that almost 10,000 hockey fans would jam into Budweiser Gardens on Friday nights to watch a game.
That scenario may not return anytime soon, but London Knights management is still hopeful that an OHL season can be played.
“We're waiting patiently and it does sound positive,” says Rob Simpson, the associate general manager of the Knights. “We're like everybody else and we're going to wait for the Ontario Hockey League to send us a date that we're going to return to and how that's going to look.”
Simpson feels for the players who are staying in shape and waiting to hit the ice for a game.
“Especially for the ones trying to earn contracts or in their draft year trying to get noticed or even a 16-year-old that wants his first experience in the OHL,” says Simpson.
“They really don't know when the end date is going to be which makes it even more difficult for them.”
Even though the OHL season is hanging in the balance, Simpson says a Memorial Cup this year is unlikely simply because of the logistics involved during the pandemic.
Still whether this season is lost or not he is keeping his fingers crossed that they can return to a new normal in the fall.
“With vaccinations getting further along hopefully we can get going back to a regular season in October.”
In recent weeks, Lisa MacLeod, Ontario's sport minister, has said a plan for a shortened season is coming together.
