SJHL PRESIDENT BILL CHOW “VERY OPTIMISTIC” ABOUT STAGING SEASON

By: Jamie Neugebauer

It has been over a month and a half since Dr. Shahab and the Saskatchewan Health Authority shut down organized hockey in the Province of Saskatchewan, leading many to feel fatalistic regarding any semblance of a 2020-2021 season, at any level.

However SJHL President Bill Chow feels otherwise.

“We don’t know what the timing would look like quite yet because we don’t know when the restart date might be,” Chow said on the Neugsie Sportscast podcast Jan. 7, “But we are very optimistic about having one.

“If you have listened to me talk at all since last March, I have always taken the positive approach to what we’re dealing with. There are times when the approach isn’t as quick as some folks would like it, nor as I would like it, but in saying that, we have to be and remain positive for some type of completion to the 20-21 season. We have a plan in place that would see us complete playoffs and crown a champion.

Chow continued, “We have decided that once we get that restart date we’ll work our way backwards from when we would see our playoffs ending, move it back to our restart date, and figure out how many games we’ll be able to play, and the measures that would be needed to complete our season.”

The number of people, fans and all, allowed in arenas at a given time was the hot-button topic back in September and October once government approval was initially given. While a temporary accord was reached with SaskHealth to permit 150 attendees, it remains unclear whether that, or worse than that, will cause organizations reliant on gate revenue to function to agree to continue the campaign.

If you think that’s at all up to Chow, you’re incorrect.

“It is all down to finances: can teams survive with whatever number of fans the government gives us, and that will be up to the individual teams,” he said.

“When we do know (the number of fans allowed) from SaskHealth, there will then be a discussion with the Board of Governors as to what their process will be, whether that is acceptable.”

Chow made it clear that the league could function should teams opt out, subject to vote by the Board of Governors. Under normal circumstances there would be sanctions or actions to force clubs to play, a compassionate eye will be cast on communities given our present circumstances.

With the rumour that the 20-21 campaign nationwide would simply and arbitrarily be shutdown already quashed by Saskatchewan Hockey boss Kelly McClintock, Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (the governing body for all 10 Junior A leagues in the country) have extended the trade deadline to Feb. 25, and the final registration date of players to March 7. Presumably, they wouldn’t bother if they simply intended to pull the plug.

Chow then mentioned that the communication is directly between the SJHL, and the Saskatchewan Government, who then in term seek guidance from the Saskatchewan Health Authority. On-going topics include the possibility of involvement from the Manitoba-based Flin Flon Bombers, and whether the league can maintain the present six-team bubbles.

Perhaps most importantly, and Chow is trying to emphasize to all that will listen that the SJHL as a whole, players, staff, and fans, proved that its protocols worked, yielding only two Covid-19 cases from the beginning of September to the late-November pause, neither of which had anything at all to do with the game itself.

“Hopefully because we have been so diligent in what we have done,” he said, “we are hoping that the governing bodies will recognize that.

“What I’m telling everyone is that we have to have more patience than ever. It’s not just about hockey right now, it’s about everyone in Saskatchewan. (We at the league) understand that the struggle is real for everyone…but we will get through this, and we will be back to (something closer to) normal than we are at right now.”