Leeds Chiefs call for unity to help ice hockey emerge from lockdown

The inaugural season of the UK game’s second tier was brought to an early end because of Covid-19, preventing the eagerly-anticipated group format play-offs being staged after Telford Tigers had already been crowned regular season champions.

Given the fact it is an intense, physical indoor sport, ice hockey is expected to be one of the last sports – particularly at the higher levels – to be given the green light by the government and governing bodies to resume.

The top-tier Elite League has already put back the start date of its 2020-21 season by a month until October, with many expecting it to be delayed even further while social distancing measures remain in place.

The English Ice Hockey Association, who run the National League as well as adult and junior hockey, has not yet committed to a start date for next season – September is the normal starting point – but, earlier this month, produced a ‘Return to Play’ document which proposed a five-stage process mapping out how the sport could gradually return.

Leeds Chiefs’ player-coach Zajac acknowledges the difficulties faced by teams in the National League, as well as the sport in general, but says there is already a clear desire for on-ice rivals to work together to ensure the second-tier returns as strong as it finished its first campaign.

“I don’t think anybody is coming out of this with any kind of advantage over anyone else,” said Zajac. “I’ve spoken in recent weeks with the vast majority of coaches across the league and everybody is open and honest about things .

“Nobody is trying to get a leg up over any other team, we all just want to get back on the ice and get this great sport back up and running as soon as possible.

“We’re going to have to adapt as a sport and the Chiefs are going to have to adapt as a club – everybody is going to be in the same boat.

“I think there will be a lot of working together and cooperation between teams, helping each other out where possible. And that will bring us closer together as a league so that when we do finally get the green light it will be a huge moment for us and a huge moment for the fans.”

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