It seems the lingering effects of the pandemic just won鈥檛 loosen their grip on the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League.
The 2021-22 season opener, scheduled for Wednesday night between the Westshore Wolves and expansion Lake Cowichan Kraken, was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols.
鈥淔uture games will be assessed on a day-to-day basis,鈥� said the league, in a statement.
鈥淭he names of the players and all health information is confidential. Teams have been advised that it is strongly recommended that they all revert to their COVID-19 protocols that were put into place last fall as there are many participants in our teams that are not from our health district.鈥�
The Kraken-Wolves postponement has shifted the league opening to tonight as the host Victoria Cougars and 颅visiting Peninsula Panthers meet at Archie Browning Sports 颅Centre and the Saanich Predators play the host Buccaneers at the 颅Nanaimo Ice Centre. As per provincial health guidelines for indoor events, VIJHL arenas are allowed 50 spectators or 50 per cent capacity, whichever is greater. Fans will need to have one shot of vaccine beginning Sept. 13 and two shots beginning Oct. 24 in order to enter the rinks.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been the way of things,鈥� said a philosophical Brody 颅Coulter, head coach and GM of the Cougars.
鈥淏asically, we鈥檝e lost two years, from the 2020 playoffs to most of the 2020-21 season. We鈥檝e had veterans players who have not played a playoff game in this league. It got harder to keep the players motivated and interested and invested. This season will hopefully be a 颅different story.鈥�
That鈥檚 what everybody is banking on in a league in which the likes of current or past NHLers Jamie and Jordie Benn, Matt Irwin, Adam Cracknell and Ryan O鈥橞yrne have played along with numerous eventual WHL/BCHL juniors, NCAA collegians and AHL/ECHL pros.
鈥淲e as a team have been 颅successful in moving kids up to Junior A [mainly sa国际传媒 Hockey League] and they become your advertisement,鈥� said Ian Birnie, director of player development for the Wolves.
鈥淏ut with two lost years, there鈥檚 no data on some of the [VIJHL] players. But we still have four Wolves players going to Junior A camps on Sept. 15.鈥�
Birnie was instrumental in turning the fortunes of the Wolves club, which previously had set league records for 颅losing, when he joined the team four years ago as head coach and GM. After a career in hockey, Birnie has decided to step back a bit and serve as director of player 颅development and assistant GM, and the team has brought in Derek Sweet-Coulter as head coach and GM of the Wolves. Sweet-Coulter comes with six seasons of Junior A experience, including the last two as head coach and GM of the Merritt Centennials of the BCHL.
The Wolves expect to be in the hunt in what will be a competitive South Division with the Campbell River Storm again expected to dominate the North Division.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of parity in the South Division, all five teams are really good, and it鈥檚 going to be a dog fight every night,鈥� said Pete Zubersky, GM of the Peninsula Panthers, who will host the Cougars in their home opener Friday at Panorama Recreation Centre.
The opening-game captains tonight at Archie Browning will be defenceman Dylan Jessa for the Cougars and forward Riley Braun for the Panthers as the teams decide on rosters and roles.
The expansion Kraken and Port Alberni Bombers have joined the VIJHL this season to bump the number of teams to 11 and will play in the North Division with the Storm, Buccaneers, Comox Valley Glacier Kings and Oceanside Generals.
The South Division consists of the Panthers, Cougars, Wolves, Saanich Predators and Kerry Park Islanders.
