Edmonton ready to drop the puck on Minor Hockey Week amid COVID-19 concerns

Edmonton’s Minor Hockey Week is set to return Thursday night, a year after COVID-19 public health restrictions forced the event’s cancellation last year.

The event is scheduled to run until Jan. 16 this year and will involve 606 teams from the U9 to U18 division, amounting to more than 9,000 players as well as 2,000 referees.

Games will be spread out across 47 sheets of ice in 31 arenas.

“We want to keep everything as safe as possible so we can keep the kids playing,” says Steve Hogle, general manager for Hockey Edmonton.

“The vast majority of our members tell us how important this event is to their kids’ physical well-being, to their mental well-being and how upsetting it was to lose it last season.”

It will be the 58th edition of the tournament that has previously featured now-famous alumni including Mark Messier, Jared Spurgeon and Shannon Szabados.

But, a number of pandemic-lined realities underscore this year’s event.

Hogle says Alberta Health recommends only one family member of each player attend the event.

Requirements from the province’s Restrictions Exemption Program remain in place, including showing proof of vaccination, or proof of a negative test or medical exemption, to enter the arena, physical distancing and masking except when on the ice during games.

“All these measures are designed to reduce interactions and touchpoints and then enable teams to work in cohorts as much as possible to avoid multiple exposures,” Hogle said.

The tournament gets underway tonight, with the opening ceremonies followed by the first game at 5:45 p.m. The opening game will be streamed for free via Hockey TV.

“It’s always been a magical event,” said Hogle. “We’re doing our best to make sure that magic stays in it, albeit in a very safe way.”