The Wooster Oilers were once a pretty good franchise. Years ago in what was once the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League, and later in what was the Minnesota Junior Hockey League.
Never a championship level team, but usually competitive and well run. That obviously has changed with this most recent news.
Lets examine the facts. The Oilers started the season with not even close to a full roster. After having all off season the roster was not full, and it was not even competitive. Putting ten players on the ice, is not junior hockey.
When those same ten players received suspensions and the team admittedly had to forfeit their next game, the league had to step in.
Yes I know all the whining about how the league cancelled the season is being done by a few people involved. Those same people who refuse to take responsibility for the embarrassment that this issue has caused. Ten players have to find new homes.
The league did the absolutely correct thing by folding the team.
Every forfeited game, costs the other team money. Ice still has to be paid for, as do referee’s. Then they also lose their gate receipts, merchandise sales, and they then are forced to rewrite their schedule.
So a few players have to find new places to play. So what. The rest of the teams in the league can now adjust their schedules accordingly and move forward without the possibility of teams not being able to play.
This was the right proactive move for the USPHL. The Wooster Oilers did not deserve to be allowed to continue. They did not deserve to have the opportunity to continue to place other teams seasons in jeopardy.
The few players that were affected can easily find new homes and life will go on.
Who’s next? Stay tuned for a death watch update.
