The Prince Albert Northern Bears are getting back on the ice. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Getting back on the ice

Prince Albert’s AAA hockey teams fired up for the season

Oct 12, 2020 | 7:59 AM

The pair of Prince Albert Under-18 AAA teams, the Prince Albert Northern Bears and the Prince Albert Mintos, were getting pretty sick of practicing.

They have been limited to drills and team scrimmages for the last two months. Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby said he’s already conducted 25 practices.

But now, those practices are going to have a lot more meaning as the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and the Saskatchewan Health Authority put together a Return to Play Safety Guidelines package.

They’re in the process of planning some exhibition games, which can start on Oct. 17, before a tentative regular season starting as early as Nov. 1.

“The news that we’ve gotten so far, that we’re attempting to play some games, is really big news for us,” Willoughby said. “It may not be exactly normal if you compare it to years in the past obviously, but just the fact that we’ll get into some competition here very soon, it does mean a lot for our season’s plans.”

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There will be plenty of changes, many of which are being sorted out now in order to make sure they can properly enforce all the necessary protocols in order to play their games. Mintos’ general manager Kalen Wright said a lot of work is going into finalizing every detail, including working with the City of Prince Albert, to make sure everybody in the rink can stay safe.

“It’s exciting. I don’t want to say it makes you start scrambling, but the phone’s sure picked up the last few days with calls from other teams to plan exhibition games,” Wright said. “Everyone’s trying to figure out exactly how to go about getting these things started safely and as quickly as we can.”

One of the biggest changes will be the absence of tournaments. The Mac’s Tournament has already been cancelled, but no in-season tournaments will be played this year. In years past, the Bears have consistently gone to tournaments in Albert and Manitoba as part of their preseasons. They have also played in tournaments to fill long lulls in their regular-season schedule and continued to play in and support the Mandi Schwartz Memorial Tournament in Wilcox. Especially since the Bears are going to be hosting the 2021 Esso Cup national championship (which is still tentatively a go at the moment), Willoughby said.

“It could have some impact. You’re not going to be able to put your team into a tournament-like competition to get ready for an Esso Cup,” Willoughby said. “It definitely could have an impact, but I wouldn’t consider it a disadvantage because every team is going through the same thing. Whatever team can adjust the greatest will have the best chance.”

As for how the schedules will look, they will be a little bit different. The Bears will be in a mini-league with the other two teams in the north, the Saskatoon Stars and Battlefords Sharks from Nov. 1 until Jan. 18. Then when Phase 4 comes, they will be able to play the rest of the teams in the league.

The Mintos’ 12-team league will be split into two six-team mini-leagues, playing a two-game series against each opponent on the weekend.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW