According to both Elliotte Friedman and Bob McKenzie, the CHL (WHL, OHL, and QMJHL) will have an announcement coming up at the top of the hour (4 PM MT) where it is expected that they will be cancelling both their playoffs along with the Memorial Cup tournament that was slated to take place in late May.
Hearing CHL leagues preparing for announcement around 6 pm ET that playoffs and Memorial Cup will be cancelled
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 23, 2020
Originally scheduled from May 22-31st, the Memorial Cup playoffs was supposed to be the exclamation mark at the end of another CHL season and bring the best junior-aged teams from across the country together for what is undoubtedly a wonderful tournament and showcase for the kids that have busted their asses just to get there. However, for the first time in its 102-year history, the Memorial Cup will not be awarded as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that has essentially pressed paused on anything normal.
That would mean the Memorial Cup, scheduled for late May in Kelowna, B.C., will not be awarded this season. That would be the first time in the 102-year history of the trophy that it isn’t presented to the national junior hockey champion.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) March 23, 2020
Today’s news is another tough blow to the world of sports, my friends, and all I can think about are the kids that may never have an opportunity to play in the tournament again. Stay safe.
