Wanderings – Ground shaking changes for youth hockey ahead

A change is happening in youth hockey in Canada – one that I believe is better for the sport and for families.

The Ontario Hockey Federation, which governs hockey for all Ontario except parts of northern and eastern Ontario, voted recently to end residency restrictions for players U10 and older. U10 and older players will be able to play hockey for whatever organization they want. This is a transformative change to the sport with a lot of consequences. It is also something that is not new. Other sports already have this model; hockey is just catching up.

This is an important move because it shifts the power dynamic from organizations to families – where it should have belonged all along.

Under the old model, you were forced to play where you lived unless that home club did not have the level of hockey you wanted to play at. There are overlapping territories which continued to add restrictions. If your hockey player wanted to play Double-A or Triple-A youth hockey, you could only move up to the club in that overlapped area.

This model benefited the organization, as it could funnel skilled youth players as it needed, and also ensured that there are players in house leagues to fill out and support the local programs. If a player wanted to pursue opportunities elsewhere, it was very difficult to get permission to leave the home area, either for a season or permanently. That model again places too much power in organizations, power that can sadly be abused.

No volunteer organization is immune from egos, internal politics, and cliques. Often it is the parents vicariously living through their child’s youth sports successes that can ruin an organization or group dynamic. Much has been written in the Toronto Star, National Post, and local papers far and wide about the antics at some arenas within the OHF – none of which need repeating in this 600-word space. Suffice it to say, the power dynamic was wrong – and now it is being fixed.

What does this change mean for OHF players and their families? Choice. If a family chooses to drive their child further than their home rink to a different club because they like the program, or there is a different or better opportunity, or it is closer to extended family, they can. The reason no longer matters, and families don’t have to jump through more hoops than buying a house to get their child moved. Families can choose what is right for their youth and what they are comfortable with paying for.

The opportunity for clubs in the OHF is a chance to do things differently. Focus on specific development, tailor programs, and be able to innovate in the sport.

There are pitfalls to this plan. You may see organizations fold or merge, and even areas lose their hockey programs. This can mean lost revenue for arenas and municipal budgets as well. Hockey may also become more expensive for families. That could be offset by choosing what is the right program for their players.

I contacted some officials with Hockey Eastern Ontario to see if this is planned for the region I live in. Being that it is the holiday season, no one responded. I suspect though, as you see governing body after governing body eliminate residency restrictions, that it is only a matter of WHEN it will happen, not IF, for all youth hockey in Canada. It’s a change that is long overdue.

This column was originally published in the January 1, 2025 print edition of the Morrisburg Leader.