The turning of the calendar sees the NOJHL (Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League) completing the second half of the 2024-2025 season with one fewer teams than they started with.
The league's board of directors announced on Tuesday that they have granted the Elliot Lake Vikings a "leave of absence, effective immediately, for the remainder of the 2024-25 season, due to extenuating circumstances resulting from the ongoing closure of Rogers Arena (formerly Centennial Arena) in Elliot Lake.
"With the venue remaining shuttered and unavailable for use, the Vikings have not practiced or played at home for a second consecutive season, making it extremely difficult in terms of finances," stated the league media release.
As well, the burden that was being placed on the players and staff had a detrimental effect on the entire organization and played a pivotal role in this decision being made.
"It was originally scheduled for the arena to be open and operational for all users, including the Vikings, in time for the start of the 2024-25 season," noted NOJHL commissioner Robert Mazzuca.
"The extended delays and the recent announcement by Elliot Lake city staff that the venue would remain closed indefinitely forced a difficult choice to be made," added Mazzuca.
"We look to welcome them back to the league once it becomes feasible to do so."
In terms of the effect on the 11 remaining franchises, a decision was made that all remaining regular season games involving the Vikings will not be played, with the opposing teams being credited with 1-0 victories and given two points in the standings.
Elliot Lake went into the Christmas break with a record of 7-21-1-0, ahead of only the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners (2-27-0-2) and nine points back of the Iroquois Falls Storm and the eighth and final playoff position.
This recent announcement creates a less congested return to the ice for the number one ranked team in the country as the Greater Sudbury Cubs will still travel on January 4th to face the Powassan Voodoos, but can now forego a scheduled trip to Massey/Elliot Lake that was originally set for January 7th.
The Cubs first game back at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex sees them welcoming the French River Rapids to Sudbury on Thursday, January 9th.