U18 AA Soo Jr. Greyhounds Call for Review After NOHA Forfeits Championship, Despite Available Ice, Willing Players and Town Support
For a group of young athletes in Northern Ontario, a season defined by resilience ended not on the ice, but in a boardroom. The U18 AA Soo Jr. Greyhounds had just split the first two games of a championship series (both played in one day). Everything was set for a deciding game 3 the next morning – the opportunity to compete for a spot in the provincial championships. That game was never played. The Jr Greyhounds are formally calling for a review of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association’s (NOHA) decision to forfeit game 3 despite available ice, willing players and town support.
After leaving the arena last Saturday (following a full day of hockey), the Jr. Greyhounds received an email from the NOHA saying that game 3 was postponed due to the unkept state of the Jr. Greyhound’s dressing room and the unwillingness of the arena to host game 3 as planned. While the room was untidy with water bottles, a towel and some hockey tape – it was not damaged or vandalized. A simple phone call could have resulted in the players returning immediately (or arriving early the next morning) to clean the room in minutes. Yet the team was never contacted.
It was an unfortunate oversight on the team’s part (they were scheduled to return to the arena the next day), but they immediately took ownership of the unkept dressing room as it did not meet the standard expected of the players, coaches or program.
However, what followed raises serious concerns.
Within 24-48 hours of that initial email, the NOHA’s decision, delivered via email, had escalated from postponement to a forced forfeit, claiming that “the cancellation set in a motion a chain of events that ultimately made it impossible for the series to be completed”. Once again, this significant decision was made without ever speaking to the Jr. Greyhounds.
In their own effort to take accountability, the team’s leadership group took it upon themselves to write a letter of apology directly to the Town of Blind River and its arena. Their apology has since been formally accepted and the town is willing to host Game 3 if they are allowed to play. Adam Stevens (Assistant Captain) says “we want the chance to represent ourselves, our team, and the game of hockey in the right way.”
The team has pursued every available avenue to appeal.
The NOHA refuses to hear the appeal, citing regulations that prohibit appeals related to the “outcome of a game.” The Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) also noted that game outcomes cannot be appealed. Follow-up emails have argued that a “game outcome” cannot exist for a game that the NOHA never allowed to start. The NOHA continues to decline hearing the appeal. The team awaits a response from the OHF.
Yet the question remains…how can there be a “game outcome” if no game was played?
The Soo Jr. Greyhounds were (and still are) present, prepared, and willing to compete. There was no refusal to play. There was simply no game.
Ice is available and there is still time for NOHA to submit the name of their U18 AA Champions for the provincial championships, yet the opportunity to compete has not been restored.
Support for reconsideration has also come from within the hockey community. Multiple NOHA coaches have since expressed their concerns to NOHA about the decision made (and the process followed to make it), highlighting the subsequent impact on player development and the integrity of the game.
The team has now submitted a formal appeal to Hockey Canada.
At its core, this situation is about more than a single game.
“Hockey is meant to teach accountability, respect, and character” says Lindsay Fera (team manager). “In this case, the players accepted responsibility. They were prepared to make things right but they were never given that opportunity.”
Instead, their season ended with a boardroom decision delivered by email.
“For many of us, this was our final opportunity to compete together. Some of us may never play organized hockey again. It was exciting to be going into game 3 of a tied 3-game series for the championship, and we were ready to accept the outcome—win or lose” says Stevens.
This is not about avoiding responsibility. It’s about ensuring that consequences are fair, and that young athletes are given the opportunity to learn, respond, and compete.
A championship should be decided on the ice.
Let the kids play.
