The Saskatchewan Hockey Association has issued its latest update on the status of the upcoming hockey season as of Wednesday.
Despite a flurry of rumors regarding potential start dates for hockey, an update issued by the SHA Aug. 12 specifically mentioned that for the junior and the senior hockey leagues there is no official start date yet.
鈥淎t this time, we cannot provide a start date for Leagues throughout the province 鈥� no games of any kind are sanctioned until the SHA is provided approval from the provincial government and the Sask. Health Authority.
鈥淭eams can certainly be formed, registered and practice until it is determined games will begin.
鈥淥rganizers must keep a record of attendees. All players, spectators, staff, and volunteers should be provided with a sign-in on arrival option, with name, phone number and/or email to facilitate contact tracing, if necessary. Records of attendance must be retained for a minimum of one month. Where possible, do not use a common pen. Providing this information is voluntary for attendees and can only be used for the purposes of COVID-19 contact tracing.鈥�
For minor hockey, the SHA states it is in the 鈥淚dentification and Training Phase.鈥�
Minor Hockey Associations who host AA teams can host identification camps on the weekends specified within the SHA Regulations. Camps must adhere to the Re-Open Sask Guidelines and just be restricted to a 50-person limit, a limit that includes coaches/staff, instructors, participants from multiple teams, officials and volunteers. A total of 30 individuals within that total of 50 can participate in one ice session at a time.
On its website, the Humboldt Minor Hockey Association has opened AA & Tier 1 Tryout Registrations for the 2020-21 season.
But once again, there is not yet a start date for actual games.
鈥淥nce teams are formed, they are restricted to practicing together 鈥� no games of any kind are sanctioned until the SHA is provided approval from the provincial government and the Sask. Health Authority,鈥� the SHA said.
The SHA also states that 鈥渢here will be no tournaments sanctioned in Saskatchewan until the new year when that will be reassessed based upon the COVID-19 situation within the province.鈥�
There will also be no out of province travel allowed for exhibition games or tournaments until the new year when that will similarly be reassessed.
This latest update from the SHA comes amid news that an internal email had circulated among SJHL teams that the start of their season had been pushed back from Sept. 25 by a further two weeks to Oct. 9. Teams have confirmed on social media this is the tentative start date, however the league has made no official announcement as of yet.
There were also reports on social media that the SHA was proposing Nov. 1 as a start date for all leagues, but based on the latest communication from the SHA that date is also not set as of yet.
