The National Junior Hockey League, the league so “national” that all of its teams are in the Prvince of Alberta, looks like it may be heading to the Intensive Care Unit.
With the Gibbons Pioneers folding, and packing up shop for a middle of the night move, and then getting susequently rebuffed in Hinton for ice time.
Followed by reports of the High Prairie Red Wings losing key support staff, and no longer having a website. With rumors now saying they may be folding as well.
The NJHL former representatives of Gibbons paid a visit to Cold Lake Alberta the other day as well. Trying to get ice in Cold Lake was on the NJHL agenda, but not on anyone involved with the Cold Lake Energy Centers agenda.
A little more sniffing around, and there have been no press releases from teams or the league since June. No schedule released, and less than ten player signings being announced.
Crazy I know to expect such a well organized and professionally run organization to keep the hockey community in the loop as to all the exciting goings on with the league.
Even crazier are some of the emails, and screen shots of text messages describing the inner workings of the NJHL and the schemes involved to keep the cash flowing.
Some NJHL “teams” have no staff listed on their websites, no players announced, and no contact information other than an email form to fill out.
Rumors comng in through social media from many around Alberta are that the Indigenous Elders have grown tired of the NJHL, and that they may restrict or cut off funding entirely to NJHL teams. Those same First Nations people have said they are tired of having “First Nations status manipluated for profit.”
From the NJHL website;
“The NJHL is proud to be made up of teams that carry the most Indigenous hockey players of any junior league in history. As such, we are the only league with Indigenous-specific recruiting, development, experience and advancement policies and process. The league will ensure to have meaningful representation from our indigenous communities, including advisory members of the board and a league spokesperson.”
While nearly every other league is playing pre season or regular season games, the NJHL doesnt even have a schedule out. Strange? Yes, just a lot strange.
Warning, if you see this vehicle in your town, your NJHL team may just be vanishing.
