November 20, 2020 · 0 Comments
By Brian Lockhart
After the postponement of the start of the Provincial Junior Hockey League season, Junior C teams in the region are hoping to get into some kind of league schedule in January
Originally the PJHL planned to get the season underway in early December, however it was realized that due to COVID-19 restrictions, that time frame just wasn’t feasible.
Junior C teams are allowed 25 players this year to make up for the fact that once games start, they won’t be allowed to call up AP players if they come up short benched.
The current plan calls for a series of exhibition style games to be played in the pre-season, but teams will be limited to going up against other teams in that are in the regional health care system.
The games will be 20 minute periods with a running clock and won’t last more than one hour. They will play two games in a night with ten players per team and a second set of different players for the second game.
The public won’t be able to attend exhibition games. Current restrictions limit 50 people to an indoor facility. With two teams, coaches and referees, that 50 person limit will be met once the teams arrive.
For many teams, a season with no fans in the stands will make it too difficult financially to run a team.
Many fans have already written off the season and don’t expect to see their team on the ice this year.