Sask. Hockey Association, province inching towards regular season start date

Saskatchewan’s governing body for hockey is making progress towards a regular season start date.

After months of silence between government officials and the Saskatchewan Hockey Association, the two sides started discussions on Friday to explore the safe return of competitive hockey in the province.

On Tuesday, the association’s general manager Kelly McClintock received a detailed package asking how hockey in the province can return while also preventing any potential spread of COVID-19.

“They still haven’t given us a date, but they certainly have indicated a willingness to work with us together to work on some details to getting back to playing games, ” McClintock said. “I’d had hoped to have that a few months ago, but better late than never.”

McClintock said the province’s Business Response Team is committed to seeing a return of competitive hockey. The 20-page document is looking for more information on what’s in the return to play protocols worked on over the spring, league sizes, facility use, promotion and regional travel.

“Hopefully in the next little while we can get that completed, get it to (the health ministry) and wait for their feedback and see when we can get started,” McClintock said.

While he wouldn’t suggest any possible dates for games to resume, he was hoping for hockey to return before the new year.

McClintock’s optimism towards a season was further renewed earlier this week when Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said protocols and guidelines from other recreations like football and baseball over the summer could be applied for hockey season.

“Those same principles can be applied by hockey to start play in a safe manner,” Shahab said, mentioning crowds of up to 150 people being allowed for football games in the province.

“That’s been working well. Can we see a place where we have a larger number of spectators? I think that would be an active area of consideration given our transmission rates and how you can cohort spectators safely.”

Hockey parents across the province are pleased to hear those positive signs after being unable to watch their children skate during evaluations and initial practices. Many rinks, like Canlan’s Jemini rink in Saskatoon, ask parents to suit up any players in necessary equipment in the parking lot before handing players off to volunteers at the entrance to get them on the ice.

McClintock said getting parents and spectators back in rinks across the province is a priority, but he is asking for time to sort that out.

“That’s a difficult one for us, I think the key is patience,” McClintock said, remembering his minor hockey days nearly 50 years ago when arriving for a game fully dressed was commonplace.

“We played outdoors and you always got dressed at home and went to the rink and someone tied your skates.”

Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association making masks mandatory

The Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association (SMHA) is making masks mandatory as it looks to get ahead of any provincial guidelines and make things easier for everyone involved.

At its board meeting on Monday, the association approved the comprehensive mask policy.

“The mask policy covers all components of minor hockey — players, on-ice coaches, bench staff, on-ice officials, off-ice officials and parents/spectators. The policy will apply to all SMHA teams as well as to all interlock association teams that participate in SMHA leagues,” a memo on the association’s webpage read.

Players must wear a mask while entering the rink right up to strapping on a helmet and taking to the ice, the same applies for on-ice coaches.

All personnel on a team bench not playing will have to wear a mask at all times, as will spectators, parents and scorekeepers.

Each team is required to have a communications representative responsible for keeping their teams informed of all applicable COVID-19 protocols and other information that becomes available and distributed throughout the season.

“If a team refuses to comply, sanctions may include the removal of ice time/suspensions to team officials,” the memo stated.