By Jim Bender
The Manitoba Junior Hockey League may have been idle since the Covid-19 pandemic forced it to abruptly cancel its 2020-21 season last fall, but those who operate the well-respected circuit have certainly kept busy off the ice.
The MJHL has posted a number of releases in recent months, but their happiest one was that they were able to announce that the 2021-22 season will begin on Sept. 17.
“With the vaccination rollout and speaking with the (provincial) government, Sept. 17th was a very important date to be able to open with,” said an elated MJHL commissioner Kevin Saurette. “It’s really important to have that date, especially after a very long and difficult year.”
The MJHL will be using an East-West format this year, which means the Selkirk Steelers will play in the same division as the Portage Terriers, Steinbach Pistons, Winkler Flyers, Winnipeg Blues and Winnipeg Freeze. Each MJHL team will play a 54-game schedule, with 40 of those to be against those in the same division and 14 outside the division.
“We’re doing this to reduce travel and reduce the number of hotel nights needed for the teams,” Saurette said. “The majority of the games will be held on weekends, which should create an exciting atmosphere in each community where the games will be played.”
While such teams as the CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers have already announced that they will only allow spectators who have been fully vaccinated against Covid to attend their games, the MJHL has yet to decide whether or not to follow suit.
“We’re definitely looking at it,” Saurette said. “We will take direction from the government with respect to indoor facilities. It will depend on what’s going on with the vaccination timeline, but it’s all looking very positive right now and we expect a larger number of spectators (than last season) to be allowed.”
Saurette pointed out that the MJHL franchises will follow whatever Covid protocols that the government dictates, adding that the teams had followed them strictly before the season was cancelled.
“I commend them for all of their efforts,” he said.
Most of the MJHL players, coaches, GMs and office personnel have been fully vaccinated, as the league recommended, Saurette said.
Another major MJHL announcement was that Neepawa has adopted the Titans as its new nickname, replacing one that was insensitive to First Nations people.
“They’ve done a very good job with it and it sounds like the community is really embracing the change,” Saurette said.
The MJHL also announced that Niverville will join the circuit as an expansion franchise for the 2022-23 season.
“It has a very strong, non-profit ownership group and it will have a state-of-the-art arena,” Saurette said. “It’s one of the fastest-growing communities in Manitoba and it’s very close to other MJHL communities.”
There are no current plans to add another expansion team, Saurette said.
