Deer Lake Red Wings folding

[wingsdiehard]

The rumour around town here today is that the deer lake red wings are withdrawing from the 2018-19 season due to lack of player commitment.

This brings the potential of some players joining the new NLSHL. Simms, Penney, TJ Smith, and Jalen Gilliard to name a few.

Another sad day for deer lake fans...

[catsfan200]

Redwings announced this on Facebook

The Deer Lake Red Wings are sad to announce that we will not be taking part in the upcoming 2018/2019 season. The Executive would like fans to know that this was not an easy decision. But due to lack of player interest we have no other choice but to fold.

Thank you to everyone who have supported our team over the last two years. We truly enjoyed having hockey back at the Hodder and hope that we can have a team in the future.

[Seniorfan]

This is certainly sad news for the loyal hockey fans in Deer Lake. They have done their part to support the Red Wings over the years. Unfortunately I'm hearing that some other teams in that league have also been struggling with low numbers of players.Hopefully they'll find a way to keep The West Coast League alive. The sad reality is that there are simply not enough players in most communities away from St. John's to ice senior hockey teams. The idea of senior hockey based on lonly ocal players is something from the past and is no longer feasible in most places despite some people's contentions otherwise. Demographics have changed dramatically since the 70's. If communities in rural NL want senior hockey they have to work twice as hard or more... and must be able to entice players to travel off the Avalon. It can be done but it's not easy.

[123]

Too bad. Seemed they had a good thing going in Deer Lake.

[Tomcod]

Very unfortunate for the fans and the community to see the wings folding . There just aren't enough local players in towns outside the Avalon to ice competitive senior hockey teams . Heard from a good source that the average attendance at the wings games last year was four hundred and fifty fans , far from a full house . Also heard some players were getting paid and some weren't which doesn't help team morale . Anyway I hope things work out for senior hockey on the west coast , stay tuned .

[Oh just a fan]

Heard the same thing Tomcod in reguards to some players being paid and some not. Heard that the non paid players said to bad and didn’t play. Which is why they don’t have enough players. Not cause they aren’t available just that they won’t play.

[aseyeseesit]

Didn't I hear on CBC this morning that Darren Colbourne was announced as the CB Royals coach in that West Coast League ...
If the Deer Lake Red Wings are folded then what teams are left in that League? Just three teams?
The experience out here in central over the last three years, is that 3 teams just does not work - playing the same two teams week in and week out.

[superfan]

Very unfortunate for the fans and the community to see the wings folding . There just aren't enough local players in towns outside the Avalon to ice competitive senior hockey teams . Heard from a good source that the average attendance at the wings games last year was four hundred and fifty fans , far from a full house . Also heard some players were getting paid and some weren't which doesn't help team morale . Anyway I hope things work out for senior hockey on the west coast , stay tuned .

Deer Lake was always an exciting place to watch a game .