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Post by southoftheborder on May 17, 2024 3:52:39 GMT -5
Am I correct in assuming the other three Ontario Senior leagues Western, Central, and Eastern are not under OHA or Hockey Canada sanction? I have heard at least one of them referred to as outlaw hockey (meaning they are outside of OHA and HC).
And now that I am thinking of it what is the story on the Ontario East Hockey League being sanctioned by the OHA, wasn't the WOAA Senior League outside of the OHA too?
Isn't the sanctioning part basically minimum standards and insurance coverage? As well as the being bossed around by the OHA and Hockey Canada.
I know that junior hockey is the US has three junior leagues sanctioned by USA Hockey (USHL, NAHL, and NA3HL) but the NCAA and ACHA are taking plenty of players from the other leagues USPHL (three tiers) and EHL two tiers).
AHAUS (now USA Hockey) and the AAU even had a situation where each of them sent competing teams to the Winter Olympics one year (back in the 1940's or 1950's I believe)
The OHL, QMJHL, and WHL are pretty much well independent except when it comes to putting players on U-18, U-20, and national teams.
The Manitoba Major Junior League was outside of HC authority for years and now have a relationship with HC
What is the major deal about the sanctioning?
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Post by southoftheborder on May 17, 2024 3:38:29 GMT -5
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Post by southoftheborder on May 16, 2024 19:09:05 GMT -5
Are they still going to be AAA TEAMS? I guess whoever wins the season series between the teams would be the Chinook champions Isn't Innisfail supposed to be hosting the 2025 Allan Cup?
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Post by southoftheborder on May 15, 2024 19:09:25 GMT -5
The Innisfail Eagles and Stony Plain Eagles were accepted into the North Central Hockey League spelling the end of the Chinook Hockey League. Too bad as the league dated back to 1955.
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Post by southoftheborder on May 8, 2024 4:19:06 GMT -5
Heard some rumours today. Both from executives on Ontario based teams. 1) Good possibility that Alberta has 4 teams declare AAA next year - No towns were talked about but if I was to guess - Lacombe & Red Deer? Hoping someone in the pulse of Alberta hockey can comment 2) Newfoundland may follow their old tradition of teams declaring AAA while still playing against predominantly AA teams. Or, possibly following the Ontario model and have a AAA division and a AA division. Same as above, hoping anyone in Newfoundland can add any info they hear out there. Newfoundland had been using the previous year's Herder champion as the provincial representatives in Allan Cup qualifying before the pandemic and multiple reorganizations of senior hockey in the province. Probably to give them a year to fundraise for trip(s) for qualifying and the Allan Cup itself. Travel ain't cheap (or easy) getting off the rock. Ferry for any Atlantic qualifier and multiple plane rides to get to Alberta.
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Post by southoftheborder on May 7, 2024 3:42:57 GMT -5
In Alberta the Innisfail Eagles and Stony Plain Eagles are a pretty much well a given.
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Post by southoftheborder on Mar 15, 2024 4:42:27 GMT -5
Only centres I heard that could potentially look at 2025 are the 2 Alberta teams. Would be great to get the tournament out West again Also, I am curious if AA teams will be allowed to enter in their regions. I am thinking they would need to meet certain criteria- ie financial commitment, elevated roster talent that can compete at the AAA level, etc Unless it's changed all they have to do is declare Senior AAA with their provincial/regional governing body within Hockey Canada. Under the six team format teams would declare if the Allan Cup was held in their region as they would likely have an easier time qualifying and not having to raise too much money to travel. If Alberta is hosting next year and they are going back the six team format expect at least one team from BC to declare because if any region is not filled (usually Quebec (Eastern Region) and possibly the Atlantic region due to travel distance/expense) the host branch gets an extra bid which would mean three of the teams would be the host, the winner of Alberta (or runner up if the host wins provincials), and the Pacific region qualifier would not be held as the Alberta champ would not have to compete for a spot and the BC champion would qualify for the Allan Cup. Also with it being in the west I would not be suprised if Saskatchewan and Manitoba had a team or two each attempting to qualify as a bus trip would be feasible timewise to Alberta cutting down on costs. Quebec has not participated in Senior AAA in years but there had been rumblings prior to the pandemic that any of several teams could declare Senior AAA one year and then apply to host the event the following year. As a team has to be at the AAA level the prior year to host the event.
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Post by southoftheborder on Mar 11, 2024 11:02:37 GMT -5
Don't know if anyone has been following anything in the US but the league that was known as the Union Hockey League has been renamed the American Premier Hockey League and has said it is Senior AAA hockey. They have 11 teams from Massachusetts to Wisconsin. They were hoping to be up to 30 to 48 teams next year.
If it works it might be a model for how to get more teams at Senior AAA in Canada.
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Post by southoftheborder on Mar 5, 2024 5:13:11 GMT -5
Allowing the previous year's winner is such a bad policy...those teams from NFLd then end up bringing an all star team of guys they 'pick up' for the AC. Newfoundland has a total population of about 510,000, and Atlantic Canada has a total population of 2.5 million; while the Golden Horseshoe has a population of about 7.75 million. Give them a break. Any way, traditionally with in the various national championships pick up players added from defeated opponents have been used at every level. The travel expense to get off of Newfoundland is ridiculous so giving a team a year of fundraising is needed as to not break the bank. Another thank you to Hockey Canada for completely ignoring senior hockey on that one.
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Post by southoftheborder on Sept 20, 2023 18:05:42 GMT -5
the Central/West Senior Hockey League is starting back up in Newfoundland. Deer Lake withdrew from the West Coast Senior Hockey League and is re-starting the CWSHL with Grand Falls-Windsor and Stephenville (and hopefully one additional team (someone mentioned possibly Gander)). Corner Brook apparently had their ownership not want to jump to the new league and Port-aux-Basques was not wanted in the new league by Grand Falls/Windsor due to travel distance. The WCSHL may try to get an additional team to join.
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Post by southoftheborder on Aug 28, 2023 15:06:49 GMT -5
There is a new senior league in Saskatchewan named the Cross Roads Hockey League. The Dodsland Stars, who were originally planning on rejoining the Sask West Hockey League for this year after not playing since 2008, along with the Kerrobert Tigers and Luseland Mallards, who are returning to play after sitting out the past three seasons, from the Sask West Hockey League and a newly formed team from Kindersley (not the Klippers) will form at least a four team league for 2023-24 with a few more teams possibly added over the next month or so.
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Post by southoftheborder on Aug 21, 2023 14:37:34 GMT -5
I don't think lack of ice was a problem with that team. Hockey in the GTA, particularly Brampton, Richmond Hill, Scarborough and some other areas where multiculturalism is deep/strong...hockey has been dying a slow death for a long time. There is no really good option for hockey once kids age out. Midget AAA u18 helps the first year of it but if kids don't get drafted in the u18 OHL supplemental draft, enrolment drops for 2nd year of u18, life happens for most, leave to go to Univ, career starts, travel... etc The GMHL is a bit of a shit show because I hear some teams charge $5-10K and talent level is not strong (although if has improved). I As for the Caledon owner, I put my two cents on the fact he could not run an ACH without it being a pay to play scenario like his jr a, b and c teams. Mens Sr AAA will not fly if guys have to pay big dollars like jr hockey. Most have young families, etc ACH posted about adding two teams this season but it had been crickets. Maybe next year??? The ACH website had been crickets the last several years during the summer, it doesn't seem like the league does anything until September most years (that's made public anyway), or maybe the webmaster just takes summers off.
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Post by southoftheborder on Aug 20, 2023 20:01:24 GMT -5
Not sure about a Caledon team. I heard it was to be Richmond Hill, but the owner has a Jr teams based in Caledon already, so that may be the connection. Richmond Hill had a U18AAA team (Richmond Hill Coyotes) that stopped withdrew for this year. Lack of ice time due to a new team? Just speculation. But then again, they were already using two arenas for the U18AAA team (Tom Graham Arena & Ed Sackfield Arena).
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Post by southoftheborder on Aug 20, 2023 19:56:11 GMT -5
It appears that the league is just a reorganizing of the WOAA league under the OHA sanctioning. The description on the league's twitter page reads:
Where big time talent meets small town Ontario. Proud member of OHA. Formerly WOAA Sr. "AA" Hockey League.
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Post by southoftheborder on May 23, 2023 17:29:42 GMT -5
It was a season of rebuilding the game at this level. You have to start somewhere. Hopefully it will be a continuing process.
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