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| Jake Neighbours in action for the Oil Kings in 2019. |
In Western Canada, the idea of major junior transfers really came to light publicly on Oct. 23, when the WHL announced it had granted temporary transfers to WHL roster players to continue their development playing competitive hockey in junior A, junior B or the under-18 levels.
These loans are slated to expire on Dec. 20.
At the moment, the WHL is still planning to start its upcoming regular season on January 8, 2021. WHL clubs are planning to open training camps after the Christmas break.
Of course, the sport of hockey is trying to deal with the fact the world is in the grips of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Those in hockey are trying to do the best they can to keep the sport motoring along like those in all other aspects in life are trying to adjust to the pandemic the best they can.
Due to the pandemic, revenues that usually run to the sports world, including hockey, have been cut dramatically. As a result, many junior A hockey teams have moved more to a pay to play type of format.
Those transferring down from the WHL will have their hockey related expenses covered by their major junior club. If WHL players that transfer down have signed NHL contracts, they likely are already benefitting from getting some extra resources from their NHL team.
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| Cole Fonstad in action for the Raiders in 2018-19. |
I think what people are forgetting is the fact that we are in the middle of a pandemic. At the moment, the best way for athletes to get games in at any level is to play in leagues that are as regionally based as possible.
Leagues that have to frequently cross borders provincially or with the United States are going to have the toughest time to get going.
At the moment, Everett Silvertips overage left-winger Cole Fonstad, who helped the Prince Albert Raiders win a WHL title in 2019, is playing for his hometown Estevan Bruins in junior A’s Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
Fonstad is connected with his community and odds are high he had connections with the Bruins. If he wants to play for his hometown junior A team during these crazy pandemic times, he should be allowed to do that, and that is exactly what happened in his case.
As a bonus, he gets a rare chance to play at home. The Bruins are slated to open their SJHL regular season schedule by traveling to Melville on Friday to face the Millionaires. The Bruins are scheduled to host the Millionaires on Saturday in Estevan.
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| Ozzy Wiesblatt in action for the Raiders last season. |
Newsflash – the world is in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic. A positive COVID-19 test on any of these hockey teams could throw a schedule in flux. Just look at the headaches the CHL’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has dealt with for at least the past four weeks with multiple positive COVID-19 tests on some teams.
A number of clubs had to stop activities for being located in areas of the province of Quebec that are designated red zones.
Starting this past Monday, all hockey activities in the Manitoba capital city of Winnipeg have ceased for a period of 14 days at the moment as that centre works to halt the increase of new COVID-19 cases.
All it takes is one public health order from stopping any of these teams and leagues in their tracks.
There are no guarantees the junior A Centennial Cup national championship tournament for the 2020-21 campaign will go ahead. The Keystone Cup tournament to crown a junior B champion for Western Canada might not be played.
The Telus Cup tournament to determine an under-18 AAA male national championship hockey team and the Esso Cup tournament to determine an under-18 AAA female national championship hockey club are still at the risk of not going forward.
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| Rhett Rhinehart in action for the Blades last season. |
Nothing is operating as it normally should in these COVID-19 pandemic times, and people have to remember that.
Raiders right-winger Ozzy Wiesblatt and Edmonton Oil Kings left-winger Jake Neighbours have been loaned to the junior A Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Wiesblatt went in the first round and 31st overall in October’s NHL Entry Draft to the San Jose Sharks and has since signed with the Sharks.
Neighbours was picked in the first round and 26th overall in that same NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues. He has since signed with the Blues.
Let them play and keep getting competitive games with the Bandits.
The Saskatoon Blades loaned veteran defenceman Rhett Rhinehart, who will turn 19-years-old near the end of the month, to Flin Flon Bombers, who are a junior A team in Manitoba that plays in the SJHL.
Let Rhinehart skate with the Bombers.
It is possible these transfers could remain with their respective junior A through the end of the 2020-21 campaign and still not play for a national title.
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| Alex Bernauer in action for the Contacts last season. |
The Contacts roster contains dynamic 15-year-old forwards Riley Heidt and Brayden Yager, who are pegged to be in the WHL as 16-year-olds in 2021-22. In April’s WHL Bantam Draft, Heidt was picked in the first round and second overall by the Prince George Cougars and Yager went in the first round and third overall to the Moose Jaw Warriors.
Let all three of those talented forwards be teammates on the Contacts.
The major junior transfers are something that is reasonable and should be applauded for being done to make the best out of these COVID-19 pandemic times.
ACAC cancels winter season, other notes
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| Megan Nagy (#1) makes a block for the Rattlers in 2012. |
On Wednesday, the ACAC announced it was cancelling its extended 2021 winter semester season due to the fact most of its member institutions were extending on-line program delivery into the winter semester due to a surge of COVID-19 cases in the province of Alberta.
In June, the ACAC had cancelled its fall season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Combined with Wednesday’s announcement, the ACAC will not be hosting any athletic competitions for the 2020-21 campaign.
In a statement on Wednesday, the ACAC announced it supports its member institutions’ efforts in protecting the health and safety of students and the broader community.
The released added that no status for the 2021-22 campaign has been determined at this time.
On Tuesday, the Medicine Hat College Rattlers said they had made the decision to forgo competing in the ACAC winter season in basketball, volleyball and futsal.
The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association, which is the national umbrella the ACAC plays under, had officially cancelled all of its national championship tournaments in June.
- On Wednesday, the Alberta Junior Hockey League announced a member of the Whitecourt Wolverines had tested positive for COVID-19. The junior A exhibition encounters between the Wolverines and Drayton Valley Thunder have been cancelled. The two sides were set to play Friday night in Drayton Valley and Saturday night in Whitecourt.
- On Wednesday, the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers shut down their facility after receiver Kendrick Bourne tested positive for COVID-19. He immediately went into self-quarantine and is on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list. Later on Wednesday, receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and offensive tackle Trent Williams were added to the 49ers reserve/COVID-19 list for being in close contact with Bourne. All four of those players are out of the 49ers lineup for their upcoming game. The 49ers (4-4) are as still slated to host the Green Bay Packers (5-2) on Thursday night.
- Gregg Drinnan put together another round up on how the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on the sports world in his Taking Note blog on Tuesday. His Tuesday post can be found by clicking right here.
If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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