Everybody has lots of questions about the Ontario Hockey League’s plan to return to action Dec. 1, including the man running the Guelph Storm.
“Everybody has lots of questions,” said general manager and coach George Burnett.
“I think everybody is working through that daily to understand all the questions, because there are a lot, and to work through the plan of attack.”
He said team officials don’t know much more than what the OHL announced on Wednesday, which is a 64-game schedule starting Dec. 1 and ending April 29 with 16 teams making the playoffs and a Memorial Cup in Oshawa or Sault Ste. Marie in June.
The return to play is “subject to ensuring that the players, fans, staff and community are able to play and attend games safely.”
“I guess that’s kind of the first step and hopeful we can work towards that,” Burnett said of the Dec. 1 target date.
“Obviously the big issues are the U.S. border and the buildings. There’s so many things that continue to be discussed with the government and health officials.
“Everybody’s safety is most important, everybody’s safety. Whether you’re staff, billets or players.”
Burnett said there are no details surrounding any possible training camp and he couldn’t confirm a report from the Sudbury Wolves that teams would play most, if not all, of its schedule within its own conference to cut down on travel.
“Our players have lots of questions,” Burnett said.
The team has been holding regular Zoom meetings to help keep players in contact with one another and players are keeping up with their regular summer workout schedules.
Burnett said as far as he knows all players have now been able to skate to some degree as restrictions loosened on rink use.
Imports Daniil Chayka, Martin Has and Andrei Bakanov are all back in their home countries. Burnett said he didn’t yet know what their return to Canada might involve.
While the Storm does not have any American-born players on its roster, it did draft some this year.
“I can comfortably say all our players are working hard. Some of their workouts were quite primitive when there was more of a lockdown … I give them a lot of credit for coming up with ways to get their training done.”
He said the players are excited that there is at least a tentative plan.
“They’re asking all the questions that you’re asking and more,” Burnett said.
Burnett is pleased to see an almost-full schedule (64 games instead of 68), 16 teams in the playoffs and a full playoff schedule, although some rounds could be cut down from seven games.
“I think those are all very positive things, it pretty much resembles a full season.”
