Noise on hockey major junior transfers misplaced

Jake Neighbours in action for the Oil Kings in 2019.

When it comes to people being upset over the transfer of major junior hockey players, the noise of the bark might be the most minor annoying thing.

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.

Cole Fonstad in action for the Raiders in 2018-19.

There have been some in the worlds of junior A, junior B and the under-18 levels who have cried foul, because a WHL veteran is taking the spot of a player that paid to play.

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.

Ozzy Wiesblatt in action for the Raiders last season.

Some of those raising their arms up against these major junior transfers say it will spoil the chemistry on teams in the junior A, junior B and under-18 ranks. These arguments are made with the belief that everything in the sports world will play out as scheduled without any speed bumps.

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.

Rhett Rhinehart in action for the Blades last season.

It is still entirely possible the WHL season won’t get off the ground and the same goes for the OHL 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 31^st 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 26^th 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.

Alex Bernauer in action for the Contacts last season.

At the under-18 AAA level, forward Alex Bernauer of the Saskatoon Contacts might have been a 17-year-old rookie with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades had times been normal.

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

Megan Nagy (#1) makes a block for the Rattlers in 2012.

The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference will not be having a 2020-21 campaign

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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Last meaningful hockey game in Saskatoon felt weird

Contacts’ playoff match may have closed competitive season

Tye Spencer may have netted the season’s final competitive goal.

    It might have been the weirdest feeling night in the short history of Merlis Belsher Place.

    On Thursday, the Saskatoon Contacts faced the Moose Jaw Warriors in Game 3 of a best-of-five Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League playoff series. The Warriors were holding a 2-0 edge in the series going into the game, and the Contacts were trying to stave off elimination.

Normally, a lot was on the line in this contest.

    About two hours before the game, Hockey Canada put out a released that said it was cancelling all its sanctioned events effective on Friday due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. That meant Thursday’s clash would be the final game of the 2019-20 season for the Contacts and Warriors no matter what happened.

    At the moment, it looks like that could be the final meaningful competitive hockey game played in Saskatoon for the 2019-20 campaign.

Ben Wourms-Rowe scored twice for the Warriors on Thursday.

    Due to the timing of that announcement, there was enough time for word to travel around the hockey community in Saskatoon that Thursday’s Contacts game could potentially be it for the overall season.

    Merlis wasn’t anywhere near full but a decent crowd filled into the rink for a midget AAA game with a late 8:30 p.m. puck drop. More people were out than usual for a Contacts contest set for that time slot.

    As cancellations and postponements from all over the sports world have been pouring in during the previous 36 hours before puck drop, Thursday’s playoff clash between the Contacts and Warriors had an ominous tone to it.

    The spectators, including the ones that came to town to support the Warriors, didn’t seem to know how to act. 

Contacts head coach Marc Chartier, fourth from right, is all fired up.

    There was cheering, but there was a lot of socializing in the stands about what had being going in the world.

    It seemed like all the spectators were still processing all that had happened. During social chats, it was obvious each person was dealing with what was happening off the ice in their own way.

    Some member of the Saskatoon Stars female midget AAA team were sitting in the crowd with tears in their eyes having obviously been told their season had come to an end too.

Alex Bernauer jets up ice for the Contacts.

    The coaches on both the Contacts and Warriors told their players before the game what had happened with the hockey announcement, which was only fair. They all knew this would be their last game no matter the outcome.

    Even with that knowledge, a good 65 per cent of the game was played at a high level. During the other 35 per cent, you could tell things on both sides were a bit off.

    Alex Bernauer gave the Contacts a 1-0 lead scoring 61 seconds into the contest. That seemed to give the night an energetic start.

    Atley Calvert netted the equalizer for the Warriors just 3:36 later, and Warriors forward Ben Wourms-Rowe scored twice to give the visitors a 3-1 edge heading into the first intermission.

The crowd at Merlis didn’t seem to know how to act at Thursday’s game.

    After the Warriors took a two-goal lead, it seemed both teams went through a large stretch where the minds were wandering because of the news of the day.

    With 2:25 remaining in the second, the Contacts cut the gap to 3-2 with a goal from forward Riley Girod. Girod’s tally quickly increased the competitive level of the contest that it felt like a playoff game.

    The Warriors extended their edge to 5-2 in the third with power-play goals coming from the sticks of Ethan Peters and Maximus Wanner. Peters scored with 11:07 remaining in the third, while Wanner tallied with 1:58 to play in the frame.

The handshake line on Thursday consisted of fist bumps.

    Contacts rookie forward Tye Spencer rounded out the game’s scoring netting a buzzer beater with 0.1 seconds remaining on the third period clock. That tally made the final outcome 5-3 in favour of the Warriors, who swept the series 3-0.

    Chase Hamm made 39 saves to take the setback in goal for the Contacts. Dylan Ernst turned away 41 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Warriors, who swept the series 3-0.

    The Contacts finished third in the SMAAAHL regular season standings with a 30-12-2 record, while the Warriors were fourth with a 30-13-0-1 record.

    While the Warriors technically advanced to the SMAAAHL championship series, there wasn’t much celebrating due to the fact they won’t play another series. 

Warriors G Dylan Ernst talks to Contacts F Tye Spencer.

    There was a little initial cheer and celebration followed by “a now what happens” look.

    The two sides took part in the handshake line giving fist bumps with their gloves on.

    Both sides proceeded to thank the officials, with the Contacts offering thanks first and the Warriors following. A couple of the initial Contacts leading the thanks line for the officials extended their hands for a handshake.

    That was done likely out of habit.

    The officials shrugged off the handshakes preferring to practice social distancing. The players on both squads offered verbal thanks to the officials, which were received with humility.

    A couple of players managed to exchange courteous elbow bumps with the linesmen.

    After greeting the officials, some of the players on either side began posing for pictures with teammates, relatives and friends before leaving the ice. There were also visits between players from both sides.

    Again it seemed like the players, staff and fans on both sides didn’t really know how to act. The Warriors were happy, but the happiness was tempered knowing they wouldn’t play another game.

Contacts players and supporters pose for a picture after Thursday’s game.

    The Contacts lost, but they weren’t overly disappointed as they had a whole game to digest the fact their season would come to an end that night even if they had won.

    A lot of regulars at various hockey games at various levels in Saskatoon were in attendance on Thursday, and there was a question when everyone would gather again for another game.

    It didn’t seem real to be walking out of Merlis that night to be thinking that might have been the last meaningful competitive hockey game played in Saskatoon on the season.

    The ominous feeling was still there, and it will likely be there until overall life gets closer to normal.

Ridley holding at 3,998 games as Tigers play-by-play voice

Tomorrow was to have been my 4000 broadcast of Tiger hockey games. For the common good because of the virus, that has been put on hold.
Many thanks to the chat and Tiger staff for the hard work they went to In order to make the nite a huge success. Awesome.

— Bob Ridley (@BobRidley_CHAT) March 13, 2020

    The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the scare it created iced what was going to be a special and unique milestone night in the history of the WHL.

    On Thursday, the regular season schedules of all three CHL leagues including the WHL, OHL and QMJHL were paused until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Had the regular season continued, Bob Ridley would have called his 4,000^th game as the play-by-play voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight at the Canalta Centre in Medicine Hat against the visiting Swift Current Broncos.

    At the moment, Ridley’s games called total sits at 3,998 games due to the fact the Tigers were slated to play the Broncos in Swift Current on Friday night, and that was a postponed game as well.

Bob Ridley calls a Tigers playoff game in March of 2019.

    The 75-year-old from Vulcan, Alta., called his 3,998^th game on Tuesday, when the Tigers downed the visiting Red Deer Rebels 4-3 in overtime at the Canalta Centre.

    Centre Ryan Chyzowski scored the winner and his second marker of the contest at the 1:46 mark of the extra frame.

    Ridley is the only play-by-play voice in the history of the Tigers, and his 4,000th game was expected to be a big high point of the team’s 50^th anniversary season. Effort was made to ensure his 4,000th game was scheduled to be a Saturday home contest.

    At the moment, Ridley has called 3,566 of the Tigers 3,567 regular season games, the club’s one standings tiebreaker game, all of their 411 games in the WHL playoffs and all 20 of their contests in the Memorial Cup.

    No one has called more games as the play-by-play voice of one hockey team at any level than Ridley has.

    As it stands right now, someone would have to call 80 games a season for 50 seasons to be able to surpass Ridley’s career total.

    Ridley drove the Tigers team bus over most of that stretch as well.

Bob Ridley calls a game at the 2007 Memorial Cup.

    On Friday, Ridley put out a sweet tweet thanking the staff at the CHAT broadcasting outlet and the Tigers for all the work that was put into what would have been his 4,000^th game.

    At the moment, the night Ridley calls his 4,000 game as the Tigers play-by-play voice is something great to look forward to, when the coronavirus scare comes to an end.

    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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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.