Release | HEO Announces High-Performance League Scrimmage Season

 

October 2, 2020

High Performance Leagues in Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) will be starting Stage 3(b) controlled developmental scrimmages in early October, building on Stage 3(a) individual and team practices. This will allow our players an opportunity to safely continue their development by participating in modified for-COVID non-contact gameplay. High performance leagues include the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League (EOJHL), and HEO U18 AAA and HEO Minor AAA League (comprising U15, U14 and U13 levels), collectively representing approximately 4% of HEO’s members.

HEO, along with our Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kristian Goulet, have been working in consultation with the four local health units in eastern Ontario to ensure that these controlled developmental scrimmages take place in a manner that follows all public health rules. HEO Leagues and teams are committed to ensuring that the game is played in a controlled and responsible manner so as not to create risk for each other and their communities.

Each League has provided a detailed plan outlining steps teams will be taking to ensure compliance with public health direction and Ontario’s Emergency Order, Regulation 340/20. HEO takes the health and safety of our players and their communities very seriously and we will continue to monitor and update our requirements for Leagues and teams as required to facilitate a safe environment for these scrimmages. As we know, the COVID situation is fluid and things can change quickly. HEO and its Leagues and teams will closely follow COVID developments and will adapt our plans accordingly. Both the governing body (HEO) and its high performance leagues welcome all questions, and are committed to following up on and resolving any concerns regarding possible breaches in protocol.

Please contact us at info@hockeyeasternontario.ca or at the respective high performance League contacts. We look forward to seeing our players returning to game-play in this way, and we thank our public health, municipality and facility partners for their absolute dedication and commitment to safety.

 

Gary Hopkins,
President HEO