2020-21 NSJHL season



This is the 2020-21 Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League season. This is the leagues 15th season under this name and its' 41st season overall. The league was previously known as the Mainland Junior B Hockey League from 1980 to 1992 and the Nova Scotia Junior B Hockey League from 1992 to 2006.

On November 24th Public Health Nova Scotia and Hockey Nova Scotia postponed almost all league play until December 9th as a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit many areas of the province. The only games that were not cancelled were three games involving the Cumberland County Blues and the Pictou County Scotians due to lower case levels in the areas of the two teams and two of the games are being moved to Pictou County's home rink as the Cumberland County team is too close to a high alert area in New Brunswick where many of their players are drawn from.

On January 24th the league announced that the league would resume play on January 25th (without fans) with the Cumberland County Blues who requested to withdraw for the balance of the season due to many of their players being from the province of New Brunswick.

On February 26th the league held a Board of Governor's meeting to address the season's playoffs. After the meeting the league announced it would end its' season effective as of the end of games on February 27th citing that hockey would not be able to be played until at least March 30th and uncertainty of any future decision by Nova Scotia Public Health and the Nova Scotia provincial government.

On March 6th the league issued a statement stating that the league stating the league would be able to restart play as part of a decision by the provincial health authority on March 5th. The league will resume play with the balance of the regular season being cancelled and the league would immediately begin the playoffs on March 7th.

On April 22nd, the Nova Scotia provincial government placed a ban on non-essential travel to and from the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) due to a large spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the HRM. The ban is planned to be in effect for four weeks. The East Hants Penguins are unable to play as part of the restrictions. Both teams that reached the finals (East Hants and Kameron) agreed to put the series for two weeks in the hopes that circumstances will change in the interim. Hockey Nova Scotia announced that all play under its' authority was suspended until at least May 20th. The East Hants Sportsplex tweeted on April 22nd that they were removing the ice from the arena due to the duration of the restrictions that were in place.

On May 4th, the league announced in the interest of public safety the remainder of the series was cancelled.

Membership Changes

 * None, but the Valley Maple Leafs relocate from the Hants Exhibition Arena to the newly built West Hants Recreation & Heritage Centre.

Standings
As of last games played February 27th

Original Format
The top four teams in each division qualify. The first place team in each division plays the 4th place team and the 2nd place team plays the 3rd place team in the division semifinal round. The Division Semifinals winners meet in the division final and the division winners meet for the league championship. All series are best-of-seven. The playoff champion advances to the 2021 Don Johnson Memorial Cup.

Revised format
The 11 remaining teams make the playoffs with an additional best-of-three round added to make it so that 8 teams will qualify for the division semifinal series. The 2021 Don Johnson Memorial Cup was cancelled by an unanimous decision the four sanctioning bodies in Atlantic Canada.

Fred Fox Division Quarterfinals

 * East Hants Penguins defeated Brookfield Elks 2 games to none
 * Valley Maple Leafs defeated Cole Harbour Colts 2 games to none

Sid Rowe Division Quarterfinals

 * Pictou County Scotians defeated Eskasoni Eagles 2 games to none

Fred Fox Division Semifinals

 * Sackville Blazers defeated Valley Maple Leafs 4 games to none
 * East Hants Penguins defeated Liverpool Privateers 4 games to 1

Sid Rowe Division Semifinals

 * Antigonish Bulldogs defeated Pictou County Scotians 4 games to 1
 * Kameron Jr. Miners defeated Strait Pirates 4 games to none

Fred Fox Division Final

 * East Hants Penguins defeated Sackville Blazers 4 games to 2

Sid Rowe Division Final

 * Kameron Jr. Miners defeated Antigonish Bulldogs 4 games to 2

League Final
Series suspended, due to travel restrictions with teams from the Halifax Regional Municipality being unable to leave the area for unnecessary travel in and out of the HRM, with teams tied 1-1 in best-of-seven series. The series would end up being cancelled on May 4th.