The last game the La Ronge Ice Wolves played on March 11, they had just tied up their first-round playoff series with the Yorkton Terriers.
All remaining Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) action on ice was cancelled on March 13 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
La Ronge’s general manager and head coach Kevin Kaminski said their home rink, Mel Hegland Arena, can hold roughly 1,100-1,400 hockey fans and attendance was very positive at the end of the 2019-20 season.
“We were, the last month, in the (2019-20) playoffs. We were right around the thousand (mark for attendance) every game and the atmosphere … the noise, it was awesome. It was. That to me, that’s what hockey is all about right there,” Kaminski said on Wednesday.
The Churchbridge, Sask., native’s second season behind the bench with the Ice Wolves and he said he’s missing it.
“I am. I mean, I’m itching to get back on the ice and … this is my life. This is what I do. I love to teach what I was taught through all the different coaches that I’ve had and through Churchbridge minor hockey, to Marcel Comeau with the (Saskatoon) Blades to Barry Trotz in the American (Hockey) League and Jim Schoenfeld in the NHL, and the list goes on and on,” he said.
“I’ve got to coach … so it’s always nice to know what you know and teach those parts of the game that need to be taught, not only for individual success, but for team success, more importantly.”
Kaminski said it’s an understatement that the northern Saskatchewan community of La Ronge supports its SJHL team.
“The town was very generous … the team owed the (town) $26,000 and they credited that back to us so there was nothing. There’s no fees to pay,” Kaminski said.
“Hopefully, it’s a (sign of) good things to come in the future with this season and success that we had that they see. With the attendance rising and then everything else with dollar signs for them as well, with the building off the success that we had last year.
“There’s going be no charge for ice time this year as well. So, again, they’re trying to make things work and help each other out during this difficult time.”
The 51-year-old said he’s itching to get the 2020-21 season going when public health officials and the league give teams the green light.
“It just is very frustrating … but it’s a health issue. I think Saskatchewan is doing a very good job of containing (its COVID-19),” he said.
“We’ve got to take precautionary measures, too, if we have a training camp soon. If they put a protocol in for the players and billets and the rink and everything else, we just got to make sure we follow it.
“It would be nice to get a confirmed or firm date. Yet again, everything just keeps getting postponed and I’m running out of alphabet up for a plan. I think I’m on Plan W already.”
Kaminski said a Tuesday meeting to discuss the 2020-21 season’s start date was postponed.
“There’s still a chance it could be Oct. 9 (tentatively) … I think our plan is to open up training camp on (September) 18th and go from there,” he said.
“I don’t know, maybe if it doesn’t start until Dec. 1, have a month of training camps, sent the kids home for a little bit, and bring them back. There’s so many different variables to this whole situation that we’re all in … it’s been very frustrating all year.”
Kaminski said all 12 SJHL bench bosses were told in an email there was no date set for the next meeting.
La Ronge is roughly 345 km north of Saskatoon.
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