Post by southoftheborder on May 24, 2019 19:15:03 GMT -5
Anyone hearing any word on teams registering for Senior AAA for the upcoming season?
Newfoundland - likely a no again as there is debate (again) on even if there will be senior hockey on the island this season. The province had seven teams in competition for the Herder, a three team Senior league and a six team intermediate league. One or two teams may be added as Harbour Grace may return if cooler heads prevail within Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador and possibly another team in the Central region to help stabilize the two central teams in the "province wide league" from last year in which several teams from the St. John's area would not travel to the central part of the island costing Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor some much needed revenue to be able to stay in existence. Besides they were getting sick of playing one another
Nova Scotia & PEI - zzzzzzz... oops got a little side tracked there, what were we talking about here, oh year Senior AAA hockey.
New Brunswck - Haut-Madawaska didn't even qualify for the final in the Circuit de Hockey Senior Roger-Lizotte last season, the St-Quentin won the league playoffs and the Tracadie Alpines won the Ligue de Hockey Senior Acadie-Chaleur championship. Don't know if they consider either league higher level than the other. Thirteen teams played at the senior level last year between the two leagues.
Quebec/Ottawa District - Outaoauis League was hoping to compete and possibly even host in the next few years when they were launched last year, they may want to get moving before the format changes if it going to change. If a team declared for 2020, they could host it in 2021 baring a format change. Quebec had a total of 7 leagues playing at the senior level last year with a total of 49 teams in Quebec and two in the Ottawa region of Ontario.
Ontario - any definitive word on return of the Brantford Blast (or any new teams in ACH)? Four teams last year and two are already guaranteed spots in the 2020 Allan Cup.
Northwestern Ontario - Kenora and Thunder Bay maybe a one year entry with only a best of three series to win for an Allan Cup berth and the qualifying series would likely be at home as the last series was hosted by the ACH champions? Come one any takers?
Manitoba - had four teams register last year, enough interest for a Senior AAA league in the Winnipeg area? Thirty-four teams in four leagues and three teams playing strictly at the senior AAA level, Ste. Anne also played in a Senior A league last year, white registered as Senior AAA.
Saskatchewan - Rosetown sounded like they were out of Senior hockey completely this year when they announced they were leaving ACHW. Watrous are the defending Senior A champions. The province had 94 teams playing at the senior level in 14 different leagues plus Rosetown at Senior AAA
Alberta - thought I saw some rumblings about possibly a fourth team for the ACHW. Bonnyville won the Senior AA championship last few years and Elk Point were finalist both years. Province had 36 teams at Senior AA level last year
BC - Four teams disappeared like a fart in the wind between the end of 2017-18 and 2018-19 and nobody noticed. They are also having a hard time getting teams to play at the Senior AA level and the Coy Cup. They have the Central Interior and the North Peace leagues playing but the numbers are shrinking and teams were declining to compete for the Coy Cup and all the teams basically qualified by default. In a five team CIHL with two spots available, one team went 0-for the season and two teams declined to participate in the Coy Cup. The Coy Cup is a Wednesday to Sunday event and team are declining to participate, not a good sign for the health of senior hockey in the province. Seven teams played in two leagues.