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Interlock schedule coming to AJHL

The age old north and south divide is about to become a thing of the past in Alberta.
Reece Soukoroff of the Okotoks Oilers stick handles during the team’ s 3-0 win over the Drayton Valley Thunder on Nov. 24. Okotoks and Drayton Valley will play four
Reece Soukoroff of the Okotoks Oilers stick handles during the team’ s 3-0 win over the Drayton Valley Thunder on Nov. 24. Okotoks and Drayton Valley will play four times a year, starting in the 2018-19 season when the league introduces its interlock schedule.

The age old north and south divide is about to become a thing of the past in Alberta.

Starting in the 2018-19 season the Alberta Junior Hockey League will introduce an interlock schedule in which all 16 member teams play each other four times following a vote by the league’s board of governors at its semi-annual meeting.

“We have to do what’s best for the AJHL and there really isn’t another league like ours across the country,” said AJHL commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk, an Okotoks resident. “The true balance of the league with everyone playing everyone an equal amount of times it’s going to give you a true indicator of where everyone stands.”

As the league is currently comprised with eight clubs in both the North and South divisions, teams play divisional rivals six times a year and out of division foes twice.

The top seven teams in each division make the playoffs while the top seeds earn a bye through the first-round of the post-season.

Next season, 2017-18, will continue with the same format before the changes are implemented for the following campaign.

The league has not yet announced how the new playoff format will work.

The new structure is expected to create more of a meritocracy in the league with everyone playing the same schedule with the same competitive balance.

“That was definitely a factor – the competitive side of it,” Bartoshyk said. “As well as the fans and community interest side of it. It’s going to be interesting and I’m looking forward to seeing the results.”

The schedule will add on two games to the regular season schedule, 30 at home and on the road and two at the AJHL Showcase weekend for a total of 62.

The interlock will mean more travel for teams at the geographic extremities of the province, the likes of Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray in the north, Canmore in the west as well as Brooks and Okotoks in the south.

For the centrally located squads, notably the Camrose Kodiaks, the new schedule should have a negligible impact on travel.

The Okotoks Oilers’ preliminary projections indicate the changes will lead to close to a $10,000 dollar increase in travel expenditures. Those costs could be alleviated with the added home game each team will receive in the 62-game schedule.

“There are positives and negatives. Financially for each team it’s going to cost a few more dollars,” said Oilers president Brad Robson. “The one positive is you have the Spruce Groves, the Bonnyvilles of the world. You get them two and two and I think that would be a benefit for the fan base getting some of these top teams into your building.”

The league will work with teams to mitigate the costs of travel.

“We’re going to work through that schedule to make sure we limit those costs,” Bartoskyk said. “There may be a few changes in the sense that now if you go up to Fort McMurray you’re going to be playing two games at 8 o’clock and maybe 2:30 the next day. Little tweaks.

“We’re going to have to schedule a little bit differently now.”

The league also made changes to the way in which players sign prospects.

Effective Jan. 11, 2017, players will no longer be able to be signed to a white card. As it’s currently constituted being signed to a white card is tantamount to being on a team’s reserve list.

Going forward prospects will now sign on with teams using a letter of intent, a system which is often used in the NCAA for prospective student athletes.

“It’s ultimately changing up how we recruit players,” Bartoshyk said. “It’s an interesting space right now across every league for recruiting players and we just want to provide more value with the letter of intent. And have players and parents understand the process a little more clearly.”

Oilers charging forward

The Okotoks Oilers took five of six points during a strong week on the ice.

First, the Oilers went into Camrose on Nov. 22 and came away 3-2 victors on Tanner Laderoute’s overtime winner. Nolan Thompson and Cory Santoro also tickled the twine.

Okotoks then blanked the Drayton Valley Thunder 3-0 on home-ice on Nov. 25 as rookie goalie Matthew Armitage stopped 13 shots for his first career shutout. Trey DeGraaf, Jordie Lawson and Carter Huber scored in the victory.

The green and gold wrapped up the weekend with a 3-2 overtime loss to the South Division leading Brooks Bandits on Nov. 26. Laderoute and defenceman Reece Soukoroff scored for the visitors.

Okotoks hosted the Calgary Mustangs on Nov. 29, after the Wheel’s press time.

Okotoks gets back on the bus this weekend for dates in Drayton Valley and Sherwood Park on Dec. 2-3. Its next home game is Dec. 6 versus Camrose. For more information go to okotoksoilers.ca


Remy Greer

About the Author: Remy Greer

Remy Greer is the assistant editor and sports reporter for westernwheel.ca and the Western Wheel newspaper. For story tips contact [email protected]
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