CCHL commish hopeful about plans for next season – Recorder & Times

Tim Ruhnke – Recorder & Times

They believe they did more than enough to earn their way onto the list.

Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Minister Lisa MacLeod announced on Monday a framework outlining the minimum requirements “select” professional and elite amateur leagues and events in Ontario would have to meet to enable a safe return to play. The list does not include any of the Jr. A hockey leagues in Ontario. The Canadian Hockey League (to which the major junior OHL belongs) is listed.

The Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) had announced three days earlier that it was planning to open its 2021-2022 regular season on Sept. 23, which would be about two weeks later than usual. The season would be reduced from 62 to 55 games and end March 20, followed by playoffs.

CCHL commissioner Kevin Abrams and other Jr. A supporters took to Twitter to voice concerns about the apparent omission.

“You missed others equally deserving,” he wrote on Tuesday.

In an interview Thursday, the commissioner said that he has been communicating with Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes MPP Steve Clark within the last 24 hours. Abrams indicated that Clark and other members of the legislature from the region are supportive of the league.

“I am encouraged by their interest,” the commissioner said.

Abrams has not shied away from expressing his disappointment with the minister or the Progressive Conservative government’s response – or lack thereof – to the pandemic since last spring and to proposals submitted by the league and Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), the regional overseer of the sport.