By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

ALMOST game time

Junior, minor hockey leagues ready to play in COVID-19 world

Oct 10, 2020 | 9:00 AM

The regular season will look drastically different for junior and minor hockey teams this fall and winter, with the puck set to drop by the end of October.

The Red Deer Vipers, a member of the Heritage Junior ‘B’ Hockey League, will play 20 games over five four-game series. Each series will be played in a one to two-week span and with two weeks in between the finish of one and start of the next.

Each series will include four games against the same team, and will always be against a division rival.

The Vipers begin with a four-gamer against the Sylvan Lake Wranglers on Oct. 30 and 31, however not before two pre-season match-ups versus their Hwy 11 foes on Oct. 24 and 25.

“We’re allowed access to the dressing rooms 15 minutes prior to our scheduled ice-time, and we must be out 15 minutes after. We have no access to showers, and City staff are sanitizing kind of like how we saw in the NHL bubble with the backpack-style applicator,” Michelle Skilnick, Vipers GM, explains. “There’s a player entrance and an exit at the back door, and while spectators can come through the front, a lot of the sections nearby players will be roped off.”

Nov. 28

Workshop coming to Red Deer for cow-calf producers on data literacy

20h ago

gun fired

Ponoka RCMP arrest two people in rural area, warn residents of taking matters into their own hands

21h ago

Firearm possession

Red Deer RCMP arrest Stettler man for possession of multiple weapons

22h ago

If the team carries a max roster of 25 players, coaching staff must wear masks and distance on the bench. There are also no affiliate players allowed this year, per Hockey Alberta, and there is no mandatory testing. If a player is asymptomatic, they can play, Skilnick says.

“I think the playing side of this will go smoothly,” Skilnick adds. “My biggest concern is that our team can’t lose money while we’re operating games. With limited fans, that’ll be a really big issue, and because of it, we’re going to have increased gate prices.”

Just 100 people will be permitted in the stands at Servus Arena, meaning volunteers, parents, sponsors and away team guests will get priority. The team won’t sell season tickets, but does plan to run an online 50/50.

Scratches for each team will likely be told to stay home or else they’ll require a ticket. The seating situation is even more dire, she notes, for a team like Airdrie where the municipality is allowing only 50 people at their home arena.

For Red Deer Minor Hockey, operations will look much the same.

The association has several teams who are members of the Alberta Elite Hockey League, as well as its teams in the Alberta Female Hockey League.

The Red Deer Optimist Chiefs, the bantam Rebels, and U15/18 Sutter Fund Chiefs each have schedules of just three or four games per month, and in series against the same opponent.

“You stay within your cohort and play your games against them, then you have a 14-day break where of practicing on your own before being able to join another cohort,” explains Dallas Gaume, GM, Red Deer Minor Hockey.

“We’re hopeful and optimistic that if everything goes smoothly, maybe restrictions will be removed, but it could go the other way too. We’re crossing our fingers that teams take all the precautions, because we cant take any chances.”

Gaume says spectator restrictions are different around the city, for example 41 people at the Collicutt and 60 at the Kinsmen Community Arenas. Parents of minor hockey players have been told just one person per player will be allowed to attend.

“Our city league teams are getting up and running,” Gaume shares. “We’re offering them physically distanced skill sessions, meaning at least we have the kids on the ice enjoying the game again with their friends and getting exercise.”

The Red Deer Minor Hockey board of directors will meet later this month to discuss possibly lowering registration fees for 2020/21.

Tom McMillan with Communications at Alberta Health tells rdnewsNOW there are no provincial health guidelines related to hitting in hockey. The OHL is currently facing an edict from the provincial government there outlawing hitting during play in an effort to limit spread of the coronavirus.

Full schedules and ticket information for the Red Deer Vipers and other local AAA and AA teams will be released online in the coming days.

RELATED: AJHL announces exhibition schedule