Full Stop

While some may think this is a picture from inside the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, the truth is that all arenas and stadiums across the globe will sit empty starting today for the foreseeable future after every sports league and organization across the globe has decided to take a hiatus from competition in order to slow the spread of coronavirus. I completely support and understand the reasons for making these decisions to postpone seasons or end seasons outright, and let me assure you that the quicker we can get this coronavirus outbreak under control while scientists and virologists figure out a vaccination for coronavirus will make treating it infinitely easier.

However, I do have a problem with the timing of one announcement specifically.

We'll start back on March 7 when the IIHF, in conjunction with Hockey Canada and the Nova Scotia health authority, made the decision to cancel the 2020 IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship that was scheduled to take place in Halifax and Truro from March 31 to April 10. This decision was made on a recommendation by public health experts in Nova Scotia over concerns pertaining to the spread of the coronavirus.

At the time of the cancellation, Hockey Canada president Scott Smith stated, "Hockey Canada received a letter from the Nova Scotia health authority recommending the event not be held at this scheduled time. They're the authority on health in Nova Scotia and we took their direction."

That's your proverbial line in the sand when it comes to major hockey events in Nova Scotia - Hockey Canada will take their direction from the Nova Scotia health authority rather than making independent decisions regarding their tournaments and people if there's an event in Nova Scotia. In knowing that Hockey Canada is now basing their decisions on the recommendations of the local health authorities, there should be no confusion as to whose authority one will seek when determining whether or not a tournament should proceed.

One week after Hockey Canada announced the cancellation of the Women's World Championship at the recommendation of the Nova Scotia health authority, the U SPORTS National Men's Hockey Championship rolls into Halifax for their tournament along with Hockey Canada officials who will officiate all games. With Hockey Canada officials being used for the games, this would mean that Hockey Canada and U SPORTS would check with the Nova Scotia health authority once again, right?

Eight teams assemble in Halifax for the men's tournament and eight teams arrive in Charlottetown for the women's tournament with U SPORTS giving everyone the green light to play games as scheduled. Four teams - Mount Royal and Toronto on the women's side and Saskatchewan and Western in the men's tournament - play their opening games on Thursday while leagues from across the globe began shutting down. U SPORTS doesn't pull players or officials off the ice as the games end.

U SPORTS then puts out the following statement at 3:27pm.

The key portion of that advisory statement is that "the tournament will continue as planned" as "U SPORTS, Sports & Entertainment Atlantic and Acadia University are in regular contact with public safety officials". I'd implore you to remember that it was the Nova Scotia health authority and NOT Hockey Canada who recommended the cancellation of the IIHF Women's World Championship, so U SPORTS has checked with the right organization with regards to their tournaments over any coronavirus scares.

With that advisory published and released to the public, four more teams head into action as Montreal and StFX meet in Charlottetown for their game while Saint Mary's and Guelph tangle in Halifax at the men's tournament. Everything seems to be full steam ahead, right?

At 9:02pm, U SPORTS releases this second statement.

Wait a second. Hockey Canada doesn't make the elementary decision to cancel an international hockey tournament where international visitors are a guarantee and the possibly increasing the spread of coronavirus is better-than-likely, but they do cancel all events that are sanctioned by them after eight teams, a handful of officials, and an arena full of fans have already interacted with one another in the very city where said international hockey tournament was scheduled to be held?

On top of that, this was after U SPORTS, Sports & Entertainment Atlantic and Acadia University sought and received confirmation from public safety officials - the same officials that would have recommended cancelling the Women's World Championship to Hockey Canada one week earlier and whose recommendation that Hockey Canada used in cancelling the Women's World Championship - who said it was fine to proceed with the U SPORTS National Men's Hockey Championship just six hours earlier, and it's now that Hockey Canada decides to cancel all events involving Hockey Canada?

Make no mistake here in that Hockey Canada did the right thing in recommending the cancellation of the Women's World Championship in an effort to promote public health safety, but they seriously dropped the ball when it came to their involvement at the U SPORTS National Hockey Championships and for other tournaments across this country. By waiting to be one of the last sports organizations to cancel major tournaments and playoffs, their inaction or indecision on this front put thousands of lives at risk.

Yes, secondarily, they also ruined the seasons for sixteen teams who were looking to win the highest honour in Canadian university hockey and a number of final years of university hockey for graduating seniors and players who are out of eligibility, but that would have happened had they actually used some foresight and cancelled these tournaments before anyone had booked tickets to visit Charlottetown and Halifax for these tournaments. That part is, to me, heartbreaking for those students because they'll never get this opportunity again, and I truly hope this isn't the last time we hear from these players.

If Hockey Canada is supposed to be the authority of all things hockey in Canada, they failed a country today.

It takes some fortitude to step up and recommend the cancellation of one of the IIHF's biggest tournaments in an effort to prevent further coronavirus infections in this country. That's leadership borne out of the guidance of health professionals who know a thing or two about preventing virulent outbreaks, and that's what I expect from an institution like Hockey Canada.

However, to allow Hockey Canada's provincial organization members and partners to continue playing games within the country and, specifically, the city where you just denied the IIHF from holding their tournament is highly irresponsible. Further to this, being one of the last organizations across the spectrum of hockey to cancel all events when you cancelled a marquee event one week ago just reeks of amateurish decision-making.

While you did the right thing, Hockey Canada, your timing couldn't have been worse. I truly hope that none of the athletes, staffs, officials, volunteers, or fans that traveled to Halifax and Charlottetown get sick with coronavirus when Hockey Canada could have done the right thing on March 7 or 8 and cancelled all Hockey Canada-sanctioned events.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!