Joey Payeur
Extra sessions should be extra fun for SIJHL fans this season.
The league voted to adopt the 3-on-3 overtime format beginning this fall during its annual meeting in Dryden over the weekend.
The concept has earned widespread praise after the NHL instituted it this past season in an effort to reduce the number of games being decided in shootouts.
“We talked about it last year and when the NHL brought it in for the first time this past season, it was very exciting for the fans, although less games were decided in overtime as the season wore on,” noted SIJHL Commissioner Bryan Graham.
One might think Fort Frances Lakers’ head coach and general manager Wayne Strachan would be sad to see any changes in that department—considering his team was a perfect 4-0 in overtime and 4-2 in shootouts last season.
But Strachan is on the same page as his league counterparts.
“I like it,” he remarked. “I wanted to see it happen.
“I think it brings in more strategy for the teams and there will be wide-open and fast, competitive action,” he added.
Meanwhile, the SIJHL still is in the process of cementing its regular-season schedule for the upcoming season.
With the addition of the expansion Thief River Falls Norskies to the league this fall, a 60-game schedule was examined in Dryden, which would be four more than last year’s total and give each team two more games worth of revenue.
But nothing is set in stone yet.
“We presently have a 60-game schedule in our hands and we would like to see it happen,” said Strachan.
“However, it may go to another vote . . . as some teams are having second thoughts with the increased travel.”
As of press time, the league was still holding discussions and gathering feedback on the possibility of the 60-game season.
The Junior ‘A’ ranks across Canada, and especially in Ontario, were given something to think about this past week when the OJHL announced it was mandating that all players—not just those Midget-aged affiliate players called up on an emergency basis—have to wear helmets with full face shields beginning in the 2017-18 season.
“There was discussion about that at the AGM and it’s an interesting concept,” said Graham.
“Obviously, everyone’s concerned with player safety with the increased awareness about concussions,” he noted.
“It’s a conversation that will have to be had in the other nine leagues, including the SIJHL.”
Graham said there was no motion on the table at the AGM to follow the OJHL’s lead, adding he and the SIJHL team reps want to see how things play out in the OJHL with the new rule.
The OJHL’s move could make for an intriguing scenario in two years’ time at the Dudley Hewitt Cup—and possibly even the RBC Cup—should the OJHL rep face other leagues that have not implemented a face shield requirement.
“Certainly, it could be a different situation if anyone is hit in the facial area with a stick as one team would be more protected than the other,” noted Graham.
“When I was working in the ECHL, we were the first league to mandate half-visors at the pro level,” he added.
“There was a concern at the time about where the [level of] stickwork would go, but it hasn’t been a problem.”
Count Strachan among those who are in no hurry to copy the OJHL’s initiative.
“I am not in favor of going to full face masks,” he remarked.
“The talk at the AGM was no teams were interested in following the OJHL’s ruling,” he noted.
“Most likely, we will have two leagues with half-visors and one with full in the 2018 Dudley Hewitt Cup.”
