The Prince Albert Raiders will get back on the ice on Jan. 8. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Raider Hockey

Raiders’ business manager’s guarantee of hockey this season comes true

Oct 15, 2020 | 5:43 PM

As early as May 29, Prince Albert Raiders business manager Michael Scissons guaranteed there would be Western Hockey League (WHL) action played at some point this season.

That prediction looks like it will be correct as the WHL announced on Wednesday they will begin their regular season on Jan. 8, 2021. This isn’t “a target date” like the Oct. 2 and the Dec. 4 announcements were, this is when the league is looking to kick off the year.

“It’s really positive that we’d get this news at some point,” Scissons said. “It’s outstanding for all fans in Prince Albert and across the Western Hockey League to know that the puck’s going to drop and we have a firm date of Jan. 8 to do that.”

Despite all the uncertainty since mid-March when the pandemic made its way to Canada, the Raiders still have sold close to 1,400 season tickets—about half of the Art Hauser Centre’s seating capacity. In fact, Scissons said they had to stop selling season’s tickets, as fan capacity for the Art Hauser or any other WHL rink has yet to be decided.

But Scissons is very appreciative of how Raider fans have backed the team throughout this time.

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“Those fans stuck with us and committed their money and their support to our organization,” Scissons said.

We want to make sure that we’re doing everything. All the protocols that we’re putting in place and working with the City of Prince Albert and the Art Hauser staff and the government, that we’re putting these protocols in place as a place to have these discussions to offer an environment for everyone to come enjoy the games.”

When the games go on, they might have a different look between the whistles. Changes will have to be made to in-game promotions, like handouts or gathering a group of people in a small area. Scissons said all the teams across the league have been in contact and have shared ideas on how to make in-game promotions safe but engaging to the crowd.

“It is our 50^th season of Raider hockey and we’re excited to have that 50^th season be a go. We still have some things we’ll plan on doing,” Scissons said. “Obviously, due to the pandemic, there’s certain limitations we have on interactive-ness, whether that be amongst fans or even handouts and things that we can do that’s going to limit some of the stuff you’d normally see at a hockey game.”

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea