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Sabres to request leave of absence from SIJHL
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 - 1:52pm
“I’d rather not comment on specific details, but we’re taking it upon ourselves to leave and see how things pan out this year,” Sabres’ co-owner Scott Kellaway said Monday.
“I hear there are a lot more teams coming in next year, so it should be a lot better,” he added.
No specific reasons were given for the decision, but it likely stems from the current economic climate in Northwestern Ontario coupled with the recent uncertainty in the league following the departures of the Thunder Bay Bearcats and Schreiber Diesels.
The Thunder Bay-based K&A Wolverines joined the circuit last week, but with the Sabres’ decision, the SIJHL is back down to four teams, including the Fort William North Stars, Sioux Lookout Flyers, and Dryden Ice Dogs.
“There’s nothing more to blame than the economy,” SIJHL president Ron Whitehead said yesterday. “There’s nowhere in Northwestern Ontario that isn’t affected.
“It’s very difficult to get sponsors and do anything for that matter,” he added.
Whitehead said news of the Sabres’ plans was unexpected as he hadn’t yet spoken directly with the team’s ownership group.
“It’s just a matter of solidifying [what we have] and moving forward, but every time I try to move forward, I get another bombshell dropped on me,” he lamented.
“I think they [the Sabres] are going to be requesting a leave of absence for one year, as that’s what they said they’d do if they went this route.
“I haven’t had a chance to meet with any of the other owners or anything else, obviously,” Whitehead added. “Until I get a hold of some of the owners and have a meeting, I won’t know what our position is [on the news].”
“It definitely comes as a shock to me,” Sabres’ head coach Wayne Strachan said. “In March I asked to re-negotiate a new three-year deal and it was granted, [and] now today I am looking for work.
“With one year on my current contract remaining, and not knowing what will come of this, it’s definitely frustrating as it will be tough to find work in the hockey world for next season now,” he remarked.
Strachan also said to see what he, fellow staff, and volunteers have worked hard to build crumble in one fell swoop is hard to take right now.
“Something that a lot of people worked so hard to get going and build to what it has become today [is] gone now,” he said. “Hopefully, you will see the team return next season.
“I feel bad for our supporters, fans, and mostly for our players who now have to move and prove themselves somewhere else,” Strachan added.
“I will do whatever it takes for the players on the Sabres’ roster to find and be happy playing elsewhere in junior hockey.”
By Mitch Calvert Staff writer
Here we go again.
Local hockey fans hoped the memories of the Borderland Thunder’s disbandment in 2005 were ancient history—but old wounds were re-opened this week with word that the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres have asked for a one-year leave from the SIJHL.
“I hear there are a lot more teams coming in next year, so it should be a lot better,” he added.
No specific reasons were given for the decision, but it likely stems from the current economic climate in Northwestern Ontario coupled with the recent uncertainty in the league following the departures of the Thunder Bay Bearcats and Schreiber Diesels.
The Thunder Bay-based K&A Wolverines joined the circuit last week, but with the Sabres’ decision, the SIJHL is back down to four teams, including the Fort William North Stars, Sioux Lookout Flyers, and Dryden Ice Dogs.
“There’s nothing more to blame than the economy,” SIJHL president Ron Whitehead said yesterday. “There’s nowhere in Northwestern Ontario that isn’t affected.
“It’s very difficult to get sponsors and do anything for that matter,” he added.
Whitehead said news of the Sabres’ plans was unexpected as he hadn’t yet spoken directly with the team’s ownership group.
“It’s just a matter of solidifying [what we have] and moving forward, but every time I try to move forward, I get another bombshell dropped on me,” he lamented.
“I think they [the Sabres] are going to be requesting a leave of absence for one year, as that’s what they said they’d do if they went this route.
“I haven’t had a chance to meet with any of the other owners or anything else, obviously,” Whitehead added. “Until I get a hold of some of the owners and have a meeting, I won’t know what our position is [on the news].”
“It definitely comes as a shock to me,” Sabres’ head coach Wayne Strachan said. “In March I asked to re-negotiate a new three-year deal and it was granted, [and] now today I am looking for work.
“With one year on my current contract remaining, and not knowing what will come of this, it’s definitely frustrating as it will be tough to find work in the hockey world for next season now,” he remarked.
Strachan also said to see what he, fellow staff, and volunteers have worked hard to build crumble in one fell swoop is hard to take right now.
“Something that a lot of people worked so hard to get going and build to what it has become today [is] gone now,” he said. “Hopefully, you will see the team return next season.
“I feel bad for our supporters, fans, and mostly for our players who now have to move and prove themselves somewhere else,” Strachan added.
“I will do whatever it takes for the players on the Sabres’ roster to find and be happy playing elsewhere in junior hockey.”
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Too bad for Fort Frances
Too bad for Fort Frances once again. A great hockey town that really supports all of their hockey teams. Ironically, it's during bad times like these that people in small towns need to have the little pleasures like going to a hockey game even more. When will the SIJHL release it's poisonous hold on our smaller communities, so we can enter a real league with more than 4 or 5 teams and have a prosperous JR. hockey team.
The Sabres management, players, coaching and bench staff have been great. They have been contributing to the local community, the area schools, and with the local minor hockey association. The coaches have done a great job putting a quality and competitive team on the ice. The SIJHL hasn't done enough to bring new teams into the league. It's hard to call 4 to 6 teams a league. Attendance suffers when teams only get to play 3 or 4 teams over and over in a 50 game schedule. The SIJHL should fold and allow the teams and communities that still wish to play or field a JR. team to go else where. The only way towns like Fort Frances, Dryden and Soiux Lookout will ever stand a chance is if Thunder Bay gets out of the way and allows these teams to join leagues such as the MJHL. As long as Thunder Bay is allowed to call the shots, our little towns will never stand a chance. It's OK for Thunder Bay because they have all kinds of hockey, such as University, the Kings AAA program etc.
We are lucky enough to have some pretty good high school hockey, but even that seems to be dwindling with many of the local kids leaving to go else where to further their hockey careers because there is nothing else in the area.
I sure hope the Sabres management change their minds or the SIJHL gets out of the way to allow someone to bring some good JR. hockey to this wonderful hockey town.