CANCELLATION OF 2019-2020 HOCKEY
SEASON IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
The National governing body Hockey Canada (which oversees the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF)) has made the decision to cancel all hockey activities in the country for the balance of the season. The decision to cancel all Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities until further notice, effective Friday, March 13, 2020 has effectively ended the 2019-2020 hockey season. This includes all North York Knights Learn to Play, House League, Select, A, AA, AAA games, practices, skill sessions, tournaments, banquets and all other team and Club events. The OHF and its member partners will be in direct contact with all members (including the North York Knights Hockey Association (NYKHA)) to establish when sanctioned activities can resume.
Banquet and Coach Appreciation
The North York Knights Hockey Association year-end banquet for House League teams and the Coach Appreciation evening that are traditionally held in April have both been cancelled.
Learn to Play Jamboree
The North York Knights Hockey Association (NYKHA) year-end Jamboree for Learn To Play players scheduled for April 4th has been cancelled.
Tryouts
As stated by the OHF and member partners (including the NYHL), the health and safety of all participants in the sport is of the utmost importance. As such, tryouts for the 2020-21 season will not be conducted this Spring. Instead the OHF (and the NYKHA) will provide guidance on when the introduction of the 2020-21 season will begin, subject to the Hockey Canada Board of Directors’ future decision when to reinstate all Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities. Such introduction will take into consideration ice availability, capacity and other logistics involved in organizing hockey programs.
Registration for the 2020-2021 Season
The originally planned access date of mid- April for the Hockey Canada Registry and thus the ability of the North York Knights registration process to open for the 2020-2021 season is under review. There has been no indication from Hockey Canada on when a decision will be made to open the Registry or when the NYKHA can open its registration process. Please check the NYKHA website regularly for updates which will be posted as soon as information is provided by Hockey Canada.
Thank You
The North York Knights Hockey Association (NYKHA) has always considered public safety and the health and safety of everyone associated with minor hockey and our league, including players, coaches, staff, officials, fans, family, volunteers and the general public, to be of the utmost importance. As stated by Hockey Canada: “Although it is difficult to process the hockey season ending abruptly, we feel this is the best course of action in order to do our part in keeping our country safe.” The NYKHA would like to extend a resounding thank you to all the coaches and assistant coaches, the timekeepers and on-ice officials and the many other volunteers whose time and dedication allow the Knights Hockey Association to provide a fun, accessible and recreational hockey program for over 950 players.
We do look forward to a return to normalcy at some point, and we are sure that playing and coaching hockey teams in the 2020-2021 season will be an integral component of that much-anticipated return.
Further information regarding registration and tryouts will be forwarded as quickly as it becomes available.
Regards,
Scott Lowry
President
North York Knights Hockey Association