Grande Prairie Storm fans will have to wait even longer to see their team back on the ice. The Alberta Junior Hockey League has decided to postpone the start of the 2020-2021 regular season.
League officials say despite ongoing talks with the Government of Alberta when it comes to health and safety measures, they’re currently unable to kick off the season in accordance with the boundaries of Hockey Alberta’s Return to Hockey Plan and Stage 2 of Alberta’s Relaunch.
However, Commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk says a development season and extended training camp in all 15 host cities, including Grande Prairie, will start as soon as August 31st.
“As anxious as we all are to return to competition and embrace our communities, public safety and the safety of our athletes has to be the priority. The opportunity for an AJHL Development Season will amplify the League’s ability to provide our athletes with a valuable experience through the quality instruction of our coaches and access to team training resources.”
In July, Grande Prairie Storm Vice President Chris Millsap said the health guidelines in place restricted a lot of the everyday work done within the organization, including limiting the number of people who can be on the ice, and how many people can be in a dressing room at one time. The province has not yet announced if and when it will be moving the relaunch strategy from Stage 2 to Stage 3.
MyGrandePrairieNow.com did not get a reply to a request for comment from the Grande Prairie Storm.