By Miriana Dundek
For those of us ceremonial lambs who “go to church” every Saturday night, this is not quite the sacrifice we had in mind. The skates have been hung, the whistles have been silenced, and this time around, even Don Cherry might not be able to get the last word. We will have to cope without our favourite game.
Even if you do not follow hockey religiously, the impending loss of a 2004-05 NHL season leaves its mark. Need I remind you how long Ottawa winters are?
Being a fan of hockey is tantamount to being Canadian. It ispart of our past, national identity and Saturday night rituals. So what now?
After the long-expected decision of a lockout was approved unanimously by NHL owners, commissioner Gary Bettman made the official announcement. Bettman apologized to fans saying they deserve better.
I agree.
We deserve better than to hear about the complaints, the failure and the lockout. Enough is enough. We deserve to see competitive hockey played at an entirely different level. Take the spotlight off the world’s most famous hockey league and there are others that merit our attention.
Recently, I walked into McNabb Arena on Percy Street in the heart of Centretown. I put aside my fickle bitterness for want of seeing players on the ice. As I stepped inside, I remembered what it meant to be a hockey fan. It did not matter that these boys were only 13 or 14 years old. They were tearing up the ice. As the highest calibre team in the A division of local minor hockey they have made a strong reputation for themselves.
This is where magic happens.
Minor league hockey in Ottawa is more than just hockey at a grassroots level. It is organized amateur hockey that promotes interest in the game. The Ottawa and District Minor Hockey Association (ODMHA) is made up of 13 districts that stretch from Kingston to Hawkesbury and from Cornwall to Ottawa. With over 28,000 players and 1,700 teams in various recreational and competitive levels, talent and skill are discovered.
In 75 years, hundreds have come through the ODMHA’s leagues on their way to NHL careers. These include players like Larry Robinson, Denis Potvin and Steve Yzerman, officials like Bob Kilger, and coaches like Bryan Murray and Marc Crawford. ODMHA teams have won scores of national championships, including Allan Cups, Memorial Cups and Olympic Medals.
Centretown’s highest competitive minor league division –the Ottawa Stings– is made up of about seven registered teams. These players have the love of the game in common. This season, they have spent only a matter of weeks practicing together. Already, their leadership and commitment could teach the NHL a thing or two by example.
When Bettman said an agreement between the NHLPA and NHL failed at “the time when our players belong in training camp and the greatest fans in sports should be getting prepared to go to the rink,” he did not anticipate these fans already in the rink. They are the ones that will not quit. They remind us that hockey is not about money. It is not about players and it is not about the NHL. It is all about sport. It is here in Ottawa. And it is very much alive.
“Ottawa minor league hockey has a very strong support network of management, coaches, parents and players,” says Paul Brenton, manager of the Kanata Blazers major bantam A hockey team. “Now that the prospect of an NHL season looks dismal, corporations and even Senators fans have more expendable income. We’re hoping interest in minor league hockey grows.”
As for the lockout, the ODMHA consensus is one of disappointment but not discouragement. Players say the lockout news will not affect the way they play but they will miss early morning highlights.
Ah yes. As will I.