More blows to Hockey Canada and they better keep coming!

Fans are still shaking their heads at the ridiculous comments from Hockey Canada Interim board chair Andrea Skinner on Tuesday. You may have heard how Skinner stated that the removal of Hockey Canada’s top executives would be a mistake that could lead to chaos that impacts even minor hockey. On top of that, she said that the organization has the right leaders in place, “an excellent reputation” and that it has become the victim of “substantial misinformation and unduly cynical attacks” from the media. Even worse, Canadian Hockey League president Dan MacKenzie admitted under oath yesterday that Hockey Canada has stopped trying to determine which players from the 2018 World Junior team have been implicated in allegations. In MacKenzie’s own words, “the matter is now settled” without knowing who or what was even done.

On Wednesday, the Ontario Hockey Federation made another formal request asking Hockey Canada not to collect the $3 participant assessment fee from its members this season. In an email to The Canadian Press, OHF executive director Philip McKee said the request was first made to former char Michael Brind’Amour back in July. McKee said it’s the OHF’s understanding that the request never made it to the board before Brind’Amour stepped down in August.

The move comes after Hockey Québec passed a resolution of no confidence in Hockey Canada and said it would be suspending all transfers of registration fees usually paid to the national organization on Tuesday evening.

Earlier this year it was uncovered that Hockey Canada used child registration fees to create a “slush fund” of cash to pay off alleged victims of sexual abuse, and just yesterday The Globe and Mail uncovered the fact that Hockey Canada actually had an additional such account.

The OHF is Canada’s largest provincial hockey federation, overseeing groups such as the OHL, GTHL and other minor hockey programs. This request, which as mentioned was sent twice now, is a significant hit to Hockey Canada.

“The OHF remains committed to protecting the game of hockey on and off the ice this season for our members,” McKee said in a statement to CTV’s Paul Ross. “We are also committed to being transparent about our operations to our Members, the communities, volunteers, families and players who rely us to play the game they love.”

On top of that, it was reported by CityNews journalist Cormac Mac Sweeney that Hockey Nova Scotia will meet next week to discuss next steps for the organization.

Moreover, TSN's Rick Westhead has just reported that Tim Hortons has informed Hockey Canada that it's "deeply disappointed" in the progress the organization has made to restore the trust of Canadians. The company has informed Hockey Canada this week that it is pulling sponsorship in men's hockey programming for 2022-23, including in the World Juniors.

ScotiaBank also announced, later on Wednesday, that it will will pause support for men’s Hockey throughout the 2022-23 season, including upcoming World Juniors, per Katie Strang. 

MPs from all of the country’s major political parties are calling for Hockey Canada’s executive staff to resign, but finally this move from Hockey Québec gets the ball rolling. On Tuesday, Canadian Federal Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge asked for regional hockey federations to pressure Hockey Canada into making changes.

They better keep coming!