By Aline Chatel
Published on 5 Jan 21 at 15:41
–
The Division 1 prepare for the return to competition! After two months of hiatus, the French Federation of ice Hockey communicated to the clubs a provisional calendar condensed in three months, from Saturday January 23, 2021 to Wednesday April 28, 2021. Certain dates are likely to change according to the wishes of the leaders.
There will be no playoffs or playdowns, nor a climb or descent. It will therefore be a regular season without any stake (the first in the final standings will however be designated champion), which also still appears uncertain. The return of spectators to sports arenas always seems a long way off…
“You must no longer be a dreamer”
“We have a schedule but it will always depend on the willingness of the clubs to play behind closed doors or not,” explains Caen coach Luc Chauvel. We can not say that the lights are green for a return of spectators to the stands at the end of January. We must no longer be a dreamer. Will the clubs that refused to play behind closed doors in December agree to do so a few weeks later? I don’t know, but I don’t believe in an opening to the public from January 23. “
“We want to take over”
The low stakes are not enough to dampen Luc Chauvel’s enthusiasm at the idea of resuming the championship after a three-month break. “It’s the competition that prevails. It’s not business as usual, but there isn’t much that has been business as usual for the past few months. What I wish for us is to be able to go to the end of this championship. If we manage to play, we won’t have wasted too much time. The worst that could happen, in my opinion, would be the white season. It would be dramatic. “
For the time being, Caen has played three D1 matches in October 2020. They ended in two defeats and one victory. The Drakkars will play two friendly matches against Neuilly-sur-Marne, on January 6 and 9, 2021. They should also face the reserve team from Rouen (D2) before the championship resumes.
The new calendar of Caen
Saturday 23 January: Neuilly – Caen
Saturday January 30: Caen – Clermont
Wednesday 3 February: Strasbourg – Caen
Saturday February 6: Caen – Nantes
Saturday February 13: Epinal – Caen
Wednesday February 24: Mont Blanc – Caen
Saturday February 27: Caen – Tours
Wednesday March 3: Caen – Neuilly
Saturday March 6: Marseille – Caen
Saturday March 13: Caen – Brest
Wednesday March 17: Clermont – Caen
Saturday March 20: Caen – Strasbourg
Saturday March 27: Nantes – Caen
Wednesday March 31: Caen – Epinal
Saturday April 3: Dunkirk – Caen
Wednesday April 7: Caen – Mont Blanc
Saturday April 10: Tours – Caen
Wednesday April 14: Caen – Marseille
Saturday April 17: Brest – Caen
Wednesday April 21: Caen – Cholet
Saturday April 24: Chambéry – Caen
Wednesday April 28: Caen – Montpellier
–
