The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) said Tuesday that it is moving forward with its roadmap to return to normal.
The league said it is planning for a full 2021-22 season after an extended period with minimal games.
The regular season is scheduled to start on Sept. 24 and end on March 4, 2022.
The first round of the playoffs is scheduled to start on March 11, 2022.
The SJHL said the board of governors, general managers and coaches will meet soon to set the schedule for the upcoming season.
Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan’s immigration and career training minister, said the return to play is good news for communities with SJHL teams.
“Hockey has always been a key part of our culture and economy in Saskatchewan communities and we look forward to working with the league to see the players back on the ice,” Harrison said in a statement.
The SJHL suspended the 2019-20 season in March 2020 during the first round of the playoffs due to COVID-19.
The league received approval from the Saskatchewan government in October 2020 to return to action for the 2020-21 season.
A handful of games had been played when the SJHL paused the season in December 2020 due to a rise in COVID-19 numbers in the province.
A submission by the league to the province for a return-to-play this past spring was rejected by the Saskatchewan government and the league shelved the rest of the season.
The Saskatchewan government provided $1 million in funding to the SJHL in January so the league could address the financial challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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