Hockey night in Tumbler Ridge is coming later than expected, due to a number of issues.
The Tumbler Ridge Steel King’s first game was to be held on September 30, with their first home game to be held on October 1.
But just days before the first puck was to drop, the season was been pushed back to October 21. (Note: As of October 15, the season has been pushed back again. The first game is now scheduled for November 4.)
According to a release from the GMHL, they are postponing the start of the season due to a number of challenges faced by the new teams. “After conducting a thorough analysis, it was determined that a slight delay would ensure a stronger start to the season for the teams within that region.”
These issues include problems with finding billeting and busing for some of the teams, getting insurance in place, and figuring out a schedule that worked.
They also have to deal with getting officials to the games.
“Of particular interest,” says the release, “BC Hockey, the provincial arm of Hockey Canada, has been aggressive on their stance of sanctioned leagues and teams operating outside of their control. BC Hockey’s statements that anyone associated with the GMHL, as well as their extended family members, should be punished and penalized by Hockey Canada, has caused a measure of confusion and anxiety.”
Hockey Canada and BC Hockey has always maintained that non-sanctioned teams and leagues like the GMHL “often do not align with the delivery model, mission, or values of BC Hockey or Hockey Canada.”
According to BC Hockey, “Non-sanctioned organizations often operate with limited (or no) consideration of the impact of their programs on sanctioned minor, junior, or senior hockey programs, and without regard to the structure in place to ensure safe and effective development of officials, coaches, or administrators.”
BC Hockey maintains that non-sanctioned programs often choose to try to utilize resources and personnel “already developed by Hockey Canada and its members.
“When non-sanctioned practices and games take place, they do so outside of our stewardship, structure, and safeguards. BC Hockey has no way of ensuring these programs and leagues implement any of the many safeguards inherent to Hockey Canada sanctioned programs. Just a few of these safeguards include our Playing Rules, our background checks and training for adult supervisors, and participant insurance. We also have no way to ensure any level of quality of training, participation or play in these programs and leagues.”
Any player who decides to participate in a non-sanctioned game after Sept 30 is not eligible to play in any BC Hockey Sanctioned Games for that season.
And officials who work in a non-sanctioned league is cut off from Hockey Canada insurance or be able to take the BC Hockey Officiating Development Programs or act as a clinic instructor.
“While Hockey Canada and BC Hockey respects the right of every individual to choose between participating in a BC Hockey sanctioned program or a non-sanctioned program at the beginning of each hockey season,” says the BC Hockey website, “every player or parent should understand the potential ramifications of that choice.”
Derek Prou, GMHL West’s Executive Director says that BC Hockey’s stance is a lot more militant that elsewhere the league operates. “It’s very hard to defend that position. If they are concerned about the players, then they’re doing the opposite of looking out for the well-being of players. We’re here to give players an option to develop and to move to the next level and if people want to do that outside Hockey Canada… I mean, there’s been hockey academies forever. It’s weird.”
Prou wonders if the GMHL is getting caught in a conflict between the BC Hockey League and the HSL: Hockey Super League.
The HSL was founded in Alberta in 2017, and has grown to over 80 teams with 1300 athletes across Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC. The HSL was created to develop high-level players outside Hockey Canada. According to the HSL website, “Athletes are not restricted by borders or boundaries and can play for programs that best meets their development goals not based on where they live.”
Prou says the HSL has been very successful in attracting the elite athletes in Alberta. “We’re getting caught in the crossfire,” he says. “To penalize players or officials or parents or whatever else, because your player plays in a league outside of Hockey Canada? There’s really not much common sense.”
One of the biggest issues, says Prou, is their stance on officials working non-BC Hockey games. “They say if they ref a non-sanctioned game, then they may not be given Hockey Canada games, which is kind of BC, because they need refs as much as everyone else. We have an issue with that one. Our legal team seems to think that that’s not even legal because this is a form of income for these individuals. So to prevent them from earning an income, if it doesn’t overlap with their own games? I don’t think that you can even do that.”
Lauren Barr, the new owner of the Steel Kings says she saw this in Alberta, too. “I’ve been with the league for a long time, and I’ve been instrumental in starting a lot of teams,” she says. “And this is something that is very par for the course. We had the exact same thing happen in Alberta and I’ve gone through it all before. I just don’t pay attention. Hockey Canada has had a stranglehold on hockey and they don’t want other people coming into the market. So they try and scare people by saying that, you know if they ref for us, they can’t ref for them. They call us a ‘rogue league’, they say we’re not insured, but sanctioning is not a Hockey Canada thing. It’s a sanctioning thing. Hockey Canada sanctions their hockey. The GMHL sanctions their hockey. The Hockey Super League sanctions their hockey. BCHL is not sanctioned by Hockey Canada but they’re sanctioned.”
What sanctioning is, says Barr, is a combination of three things: insurance, rules and regulations, and a disciplinary committee. “The GMHL has the exact same insurer as Hockey Canada, and the same insurance,” she says. “Hockey Canada has an agreement that no new hockey group can be insured by the same provider. But the GMHL was grandfathered in because Bob Russell—who’s the president and owner of the GMHL, which has been around for 16 years—had a men’s league before that. He’s been around hockey for a long time, and he’s had that insurance. So he is grandfathered in with the same insurance. The rules and regulations for the GMHL you know, are very robust. It’s very professional, and then there’s a board and a disciplinary committee if anything ever needed to be reviewed.”
So, says Barr, GMHL is sanctioned, just not by Hockey Canada. “A lot of people don’t understand that when they say it’s not sanctioned they mean ‘not sanctioned by Hockey Canada,’ but a lot of people are stepping away from Hockey Canada.”
This week, the entire board of Hockey Canada stepped down over it’s handling of sexual assault allegations.
She says Hockey Canada is important and has done a good job in a lot of ways. “I have nothing negative to say about them, but they do not have a monopoly on hockey.”
Four years ago, says Barr, a minor hockey player in Edson died. “The Edson Arrows were his favourite team, so they did a tribute game for him. Minor hockey said that if anyone went to that game, their kids wouldn’t be able to be minor hockey.”
She says finally the media caught wind of the story and asked what was up. “Finally, Hockey Alberta came up with a formal statement that said ‘we leave it up to each municipality and each minor hockey league to regulate their interpretation of the rules.’ Now it depends on the community and who’s involved. I don’t even bother dealing with it. I just focus on investing in the community and winning people over that way.”
According to Prou, the GMHL “continues to be inclusive of all and will always work with those who love the game of hockey, to develop, grow, and improve hockey, hockey culture, and our players both on and off the ice.”
Tumbler Ridge’s first game against Mackenzie is currently scheduled for October 21 at 7:30 here in Tumbler Ridge, followed the next night by a game in Mackenzie.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
