Bodychecking Banned in Ontario Hockey

All house leagues in the province will no longer allow body contact, after years of studies have linked it to increased concussions.

The Ontario Hockey Federation has banned bodychecking in all levels of house-league hockey. A number of studies in recent years have found a link between an increased number of concussions and bodychecking in youth hockey, and non-contact leagues have sprung up across the province. The federation said checking will still be allowed in competitive or “select” leagues. Some are criticizing the federation for removing an aspect of the game that draws a lot of adolescent males to the sport, pointing to the popularity of rugby and football as proof that teenagers are drawn to the physical side of sport.