The newly formed Nova Scotia Minor Midget AAA Hockey League will feature seven teams, including the M.U. Rhino Renovations Rhinos, a club comprised of players from Colchester, Cumberland, Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough counties.
The team will play out of the Pictou County Wellness Centre.
“The key thing about this league is development,” said Scott Joudrey, general manager of the Rhinos.
Joudrey said in past years many players from the region who were final cuts from the Weeks major midget program returned to their home associations and played below their skill level.
The new minor midget league, however, will give those players an opportunity to still compete in high-level hockey.
“This is meant to take those elite players and give them another alternative for elite hockey where they’re going to develop,” he said.
The league is mandated by Hockey Nova Scotia to hold a minimum of three hours of on-ice practice time per week and one hour of off-ice training. Tier 2 junior, major junior and university programs will scout the league, said Joudrey.
“The goal is to make sure these elite players are getting development, the off-ice development and fitness testing and basically the scouting they deserve.”
As part of the league’s focus on development, Hockey Nova Scotia will be coordinating fitness testing and off-ice education sessions for all teams throughout the season.
A provincial minor midget league was in the works for last season, however, it failed to get off the ground. Joudrey said he is thrilled to see it finally come to fruition.
“It’s beyond exciting; I think it’s necessary.”
While most of the Rhinos’ home games will be played in Pictou County, Joudrey said Truro and Antigonish will likely host a couple of contests.
ID Camps
Following are ID camps for the M.U. Rhino Renovations Rhinos
(All ice-times at the Pictou County Wellness Centre)
May 19 (registration from 3:30-5:30 p.m. and off-ice/on-ice 6-8 p.m.)
May 20 (noon-2 p.m.)
May 21 (noon-2 p.m.)
May 27 (intra-squad game, 2-4 p.m.)
May 28 (intra-squad game, 2-4 p.m.)
*Pre-registration deadline is May 14. The cost is $125 per player and includes all tryout and intra-squad dates. Players can pay by cash, cheque or e-transfer Tony Pelton at [email protected] .
For more information, contact Scott Joudrey at [email protected] or call 902-890-8344.
Teams
Following are teams (and regions they include) competing in the Nova Scotia Minor Midget AAA Hockey League for the 2017-18 season:
M.U. Rhino Renovations Rhinos (Colchester, Pictou, Cumberland, Antigonish, Guysborough counties)
Cape Breton Jets (all of Cape Breton)
Admirals Hockey Club (TASA, Chebucto, Chester, South Shore)
Basin Armada (Bedford, Halifax)
Dartmouth Voyageurs (Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, Eastern Shore)
ChiroCare Kings (Sackville, East Hants)
Valley Wildcats (Acadia, West Hants, Western Valley, Yarmouth, Clare-Digby, Shelburne)
