The Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals have pledged to clean up their act after sending out a strange memo about personal hygiene to their fans.
In the email, which hit inboxes across Oshawa on Tuesday, the Generals asked their fans to “help ensure a clean, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for everyone” by following “a few simple hygiene practices.”
“If you’re feeling unwell, we encourage you to take care of yourself and cheer us on from home when possible,” the memo read. “If you went to the gym or did something that produced body odor, please shower before attending the game.”
The Generals play out of the 5,180-seat Tribute Communities Centre in downtown Oshawa. They hosted the Sudbury Wolves in their last home game on Sunday, which ended in a 4-3 overtime loss.
Very curious about what prompted a personal hygiene reminder for Oshawa Generals season ticket holders..
In an interview with Durham Radio News shortly after the email went out, Generals ticket sales director Jason Hickman said the team sent the email after receiving “numerous complaints from season ticket holders about the odor” during games.
But after their email went viral on multiple social media platforms on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Generals put out an “official statement” on Thursday to acknowledge that they went too far with what they said.
“Hey GensNation, we took a penalty on that last one. It’s not our place to overstep like we did,” the statement read. “We are sorry and hopefully we can wash this one off.”
The Generals are one of the most storied franchises in the OHL. Since their inception in 1937, they’ve developed the likes of Ted Lindsay, Bobby Orr, Eric Lindros, and John Tavares and have won five Memorial Cups (the latest in 2015).
But this year, Oshawa’s on-ice performance has matched the odor emanating from the stands. They currently sit in last place in the OHL with a 12-36-2-1 record and 27 points through 51 games in the 2025-26 season.
