OHL reduces penalties, fines to IceDogs
The Niagara IceDogs have had their penalties reduced from an investigation last month which found that the club violated league player recruitment policies.
The Ontario Hockey League released a statement indicating they have reached a settlement with the IceDogs that will see the club pay a fine of $150,000 and forfeit its first round pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection Draft.
The original penalty saw fines totalling $250,000 and the loss of first round draft selections in 2019 and 2021.
These fines follow a league-requested third-party investigation by the law firm of Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb LLP.
“The club has acknowledged that it violated OHL player recruitment rules. The club recognizes the importance of these rules and agrees to comply,” the release said.
This settlement follows the league announcement in February that the league had levied fines against the club and had taken away first round draft selections in the OHL Priority Selection process.
IceDogs owner Bill Burke offered the following statement when contacted:
“The only statement from us was sent to only the season ticket holders last night. We will not be making any other statement to the media or the public,” Burke wrote in an e-mail to bsportsniagara.ca
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