We really shouldn’t be surprised that the Saskatchewan Health Authority decided not to approve the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s (SJHL) request to have an abbreviated regular season under a bubble format.
Disappointed? Absolutely. Frustrated? Many of us would say so. And it’s agitating that it took the health authority so long to act.
The SJHL season lasted all of six games in November, when teams were limited to 150 fans a night. At the end of November, when the provincial government said it was pausing team sports, many thought that the season was likely finished. And each time the government extended the pandemic restrictions, it became less likely that the season would be resumed.
The SJHL season was suspended even though there had been just one case for a team, but there were cases popping up with sports teams and facilities elsewhere, so the SJHL went on pause with everyone else.
This wouldn’t have been so frustrating if it weren’t for the fact that we’re seeing bubbles work elsewhere.
We’re seeing it work (so far) in Regina for the six Western Hockey League teams. They don’t get the thrill of playing in front of fans, but at least they get the chance to play and showcase their skills.
The B.C. Hockey League and the Alberta Junior Hockey League have received approval for their bubbles so that those teams can have some measure of a season.
Who knows if those leagues will be able to complete their bubble seasons. They have rigid testing and they have to meet a lot of requirements to play. But at least they’re trying.
And the SJHL put forward a proposal with some pretty stringent testing requirements.
We’ve seen bubbles work for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the World Junior Hockey Championships (after some initial struggles) and all of these national and international curling events that are happening in Calgary.
But Sask. Health says it won’t work for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, in Weyburn, a city in South East Zone 3, which had five active cases as of Monday. Yes, Weyburn had a surge in COVID-19 cases a few months ago, but they’re in a much better position now, and there have been days in which South East Zone 3 has had zero cases.
Weyburn was a safe place to have a bubble.
The SHA cites the growing number of variants of concern as the reason why the SJHL won’t be allowed to play. We should all be concerned about these variants. Viruses mutate. This version of COVID spreads easier than what we first encountered 15 months ago.
But if they’re going to block the SJHL bubble because of variants, then the WHL season should be put on hold, especially since the WHL is in Regina, which is a hotspot for variant transmission.
It’s unfortunate that the 20-year-olds will essentially lose their final season of junior hockey.
And it’s also unfortunate that the Estevan Bruins won’t get a chance this season, because they had the potential to be a contender for a league title.
The government came out with support for the SJHL and its teams earlier this year, but they’re going to have to supply a lot more money for the clubs, most of whom are non-profit teams, but still manage to provide great entertainment and a significant economic spinoff for at least six months of the year.
It’s not just junior hockey teams and players we should be feeling bad for. The same goes for minor hockey teams. They were just getting their season going when they had their campaigns yanked out from under them.
And it’s tough for those in their last season of minor hockey to be unable to finish their campaigns.
We finally get the U18 AAA Bears team in southeast Saskatchewan that we so richly deserve, and they had two home games.
Of course, there are all sorts of activities and programs and events and celebrations that haven’t been able to happen over the last year. Junior hockey isn’t alone.
But it hurts that it can’t happen for the SJHL when other leagues are allowed to play, and do it safely.
The end of the pandemic can’t come soon enough.
