Five Ideas for Fixing Poor Canadian Hockey Statistics from Colorado to Nova Scotia – The Athletic

Nearly one in six Canadian children registered to play hockey have left the game during a pandemic, says Hockey Canada, who admits many families may not return to the field after the virus recedes.

The national governing body for sport predicts a 15 per cent drop in registration from the 2019-20 level, the COVID-19 season has arrived. According to Darren Cossar, vice president of engagement for members of Hockey Canada, complete accounting was still pending.

“By that, I don’t think we’re saying the sky is falling,” he said. “But we’re very aware. And we’re very aware of the numbers, and we do a lot of work with the numbers.

Last year, as some jurisdictions across Canada kept the doors of the arena closed, Cossar said registration fell 36.6 percent from the 2019-2020 level. (In southern Ontario, the Greater Toronto Hockey League, the world’s largest small hockey organization, suspended its sanctions due to a recent increase in COVID-19 cases. Its series is also low this season.)

“We are concerned about the impact of COVID, but I don’t think it has been the biggest concern,” Cossar said. “Our biggest concern is that, overall, we need to work on the game to make it more inclusive and inviting in the changing world where families live, work and play.”

He said Hockey Canada is preparing to launch a nationwide best practice platform where small hockey leaders can list what approaches have worked for them and borrow from what has worked elsewhere. According to Cossar, the goal is to get the system up and running by the end of this season.