The New Look of Hockey .....

[Hockey Eyes]

NEW PROVINCIAL SENIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

ANNOUNCE INTENTIONS FOR 2018/19 SEASON



October 2, 2018

Immediate Release



Grand Falls-Windsor, NL - Since the end of the 2017-18 hockey season, Hockey NL and senior hockey franchises across the Province have come together to develop a plan for sustainable, community-based hockey. It is our expectation that this new and exciting format will enable fans to see the very best senior hockey competition in Newfoundland and Labrador.



Following a successful second season of exciting hockey with huge fan support, the West Coast Senior Hockey League (WCSHL) will again operate with four (4) returning franchises and the Deer Lake Red Wings hoping to retain their League Championship status.



The Central West Senior Hockey League (CWSHL) and the East Coast Senior Hockey League (ECSHL) have agreed to come together as the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League (NSHL) to build on progress made over the past three hockey seasons. In 2015-16, the ECSHL (former AESHL) league champion St. John’s Caps played the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts in the Herder Memorial Championship for the first time. In the 2017-2018 season, the two leagues participated in interlocking games, culminating in another joint Herder series. The NSHL will now see the Clarenville Caribous compete in the ECSHL division for the first time and hockey fans in the Metro St. John’s will now be able to watch the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts and the Gander Flyers travel east to take on rivals in the ECSHL during regular season play.



The seven (7) participating franchises will include: the St. John’s Caps, Southern Shore Breakers, CBS Blues, Northeast Eagles, Clarenville Caribous, Gander Flyers and the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts. All franchises will participate in interlocking games (home and away), while also coming together in a revamped Herder Memorial Championship. This season’s Herder Memorial Championship will see four (4) NSHL teams qualify to participate in a round robin tournament, similar to the MasterCard Memorial Cup, with the winner being crowned the Herder Champion over the 2019 Easter weekend.



“We are excited to implement the next step in our master plan which will return senior hockey to its grassroots while rejuvenating the Herder Memorial Championships”, stated Hockey NL Senior Council Chair Gary Gale. Expanded marketing partnerships with provincial and local businesses are being forged to benefit fans and teams alike. It is anticipated that new League sponsors will be unveiled at a launch event in mid-October, 2018 along with releasing our regular season and Herder schedules and website details.


For more information, please contact:



Craig Tulk
Executive Director

Hockey NL
(709) 489-5512
ctulk@hockeynl.ca

[herder head]

Can someone from HNL explain why the CBN CeeBees, a team in solid financial shape and a team that would certainly generate much needed revenue for this new league was not invited to join this league? The CeeBees have made it well known they have been looking for a place to play since being booted out of the east league. The metro St. John's teams were only drawing flies last season and will draw even less this year with the Growlers in town. CeeBees home games are not only well attended but CBN fans also hit the road to support their team. Say what you want about the CeeBees but they pack "em in. Lots of fans show up hoping to see them win and lots of fans show up hoping to see them lose! That's the way it's been for years!

[Slapshot]

This is bizarre. How long can the league continue this vendetta against the Ceebees! It is so unfair to the loyal fans in the CBN area. Clearly this is not about the fans - many of the players in this league think this is ridiculous as well.

[just watch]

I've followed hockey all over this island , both minor and senior . I've always supported all teams weather it was by paying on the gate or buying tickets in the malls , but all of that ends today. With the CEE BEES dropped from senior hockey again this year I'd like to see fans from the CBN area to do the same and dont travel to watch any games in this farce of a league.

[abc123]

Could someone “In the Know” tell us the real reason as to why the Cee Bees are out! I heard they withdrew! If so, why did they?

[Hockey Eyes]

This from the Telegram today. It is a re-hash basically with a tad more information. What a weird situation . There is no mention in the release as to how many times the Flyers and the Cataracts will have to play each other . Will anyone go to those games.?

https://www.thetelegram.com/sports/hock ... 30-246841/

[herder head]

On CeeBees facebook page last night it said team executives have made several attempts to contact HNL senior chair Gary Gale yesterday but he didn't return their calls.

[cats2018]

i think the CEE BEES had there chance to play this year and walked away from it

[aseyeseesit]

The Cats expect a full 20 game schedule playing ten games at Home against six different teams .
(1) Two Home weekends against the four 'original' ECSHL teams: First weekend late in the first half would have two eschl teams play a split series against GFW and Gander. Same pattern in second half against the remaining two ecshl teams.( 4 Home Games).
(2) One Home weekend against Clarenville, (2 games:Sat./Siun., as usually done in past seasons.(2 Home Games).
(3) Two Home weekends Cats against Flyers: First weekend in first half: two games Sat./Sun. ...Tentatively Gander opens at Home against GFW on Sat.Nov.10th + Sun.Nov.11th. GFW opens the following weekend at Joe Byrne on Sat.Nov.17th + Sun.Nov.18th. Then, in second half GFW and Gander will play another weekend of Home sets for each... these games could be spread over more than two weekends if agreed to do splits back and forth on Sat./Sun.). Total Home for each team is 4 Home games.
Thus, 10 Home games and 10 Away games for GFW and Gander.
Looks pretty good to me. Eg. Cats get 4 Home games against Flyers over the Season; 2 Home games against Bous; and, 4 Home games against the four "ECSHL" teams.
And, Most Important Of All , all the efforts by many over the last three months means that those of us fans in central will have hockey yet again for this winter! ( FYI: GFW averaged 500 fans a game last season; and, Gander probably a higher attendance,(I don't know from any internal source their numbers , but I attended several games in Gander and there were very big crowds at the games I saw.

[Hockey Eyes]

Tks for the info...at least it is hockey for Central. Hopefully....The on-ice product will determine the rest.