The Ontario Hockey League has been in the news quite a bit lately with several reports about lawsuits and other legal issues coming out. However, yesterday (Feb. 21), Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek released a report about some disturbing news. Allegedly, the Sudbury Wolves placed a bounty on the head of a Barrie Colts player. Now, the OHL is investigating the matter, so, let’s look at what we know.
January 18, 2024 – Wolves vs. Colts
The story starts on Jan. 18, 2024, during a game between the Wolves and Colts. The Wolves were up 5-3 in a packed Salon Arena, and the Colts were attempting to make a comeback in front of their home fans. On the power play, Barrie turned over the puck while trying to enter the offensive zone. Sudbury’s Nathan Villeneuve was pushing the puck back up the ice, and when he skated into the neutral zone, he was hit hard by the Colts’ defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson. The arena came alive and was loud afterwards, which was when Wolves’ defenseman Nolan Collins started a fight with Aitcheson.
Although the hit was legal and no penalty was given on the play, it still had fans concerned. Some were holding their breath in the arena, and you saw the Colts’ medical staff as well as the emergency medical staff on-site going onto the ice. Villeneuve was assisted off the ice by his medical staff after the fight, and Collins was given an instigator penalty and ejected from the game.
The Aftermath of the Game
Only three days later, the Central Division rivals were set to face off off against each other again. By this time, though, the Colts had gotten word of a potential bounty on Aitcheson. As a result, they sat him out for his safety. This game ended 6-3 in favour of the Wolves. Checking the box score, you can see some roughing penalties toward the end of the contest; however, there is no word if that was due to animosity spilling over from the previous game between the two clubs.
The Colts organization will not comment on the situation as it is now a league matter. Now that it is a league matter, we will find out their findings within a few weeks. The Colts and Wolves face three more times this season: on Feb. 28, 2024, in Sudbury, March 16 in Barrie, and March 22 in Sudbury.
Related: Barrie Colts’ Trio On Central Scouting Mid-Season Rankings
With their first game against each other being next Wednesday, Feb. 28, the thought is that the OHL will have a verdict on their findings by then. If not, there could be a chance Aitcheson will sit out for another game for his safety. I would also expect the OHL to send a warning to both clubs about their actions and the potential for supplement discipline if any lines are crossed. Additionally, the referees will most likely be on high alert due to the history between these teams.
The Colts are currently in eighth place, and the Wolves are tied for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. There are 15 games left in the OHL season, and if all things stay the same, these two teams could be on track to meet in the first round of the OHL playoffs. The only hope is that things have quieted down significantly over the next month, the potential playoff series is fun to watch, and all the players feel safe.
