Still hope for Elliot Lake
There may be junior hockey in Elliot Lake next season afterall.
To be sure, Elliot Lake Bobcats of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League have confirmed they are relocating to Cochrane after this season.
But sources are saying the City of Elliot Lake is looking at the possibility of operating a community-owned junior hockey team effective the 2014-2015 season.
Should the City approve necessary funds to operate a junior team, it would then establish a Board of Directors who would oversee a hockey staff, according to a source from within the NOJHL league office.
Elliot Lake has been home to the Bobcats for seven years, five of which were spent in the Greater Metro Jr. Hockey League and the past two — including this one — in the NOJHL.
Just thinking out loud but with Blind River in trouble and Elliot Lake with no team, would a partnership with both towns work? Call them the Algoma something and play out of both arenas? I know there would be logistical problems such as billoting and practices but they could draw more to games.
I wish the city well but I hope they have deep pockets.
Why would the City of Elliot Lake trust the NOJHL now??? If there is Junior hockey in Elliot again prhaps it will have to be back in the GMHL.
The idea is novel. With a population base of 11,000 or so the town should be able to support a team. Perhaps there would not be much in profits but a breakeven scenario should be looked at as positive. Elliot Lake has twice the population base as Espanola so within a few years and with a better economy ,especially with the operation of the new mall, Elliot Lake can survive and thrive in the NOJHL. It’s time for the town to step up and decide if having a junior hockey team in their town is a priority.
the NOJHL needs more teams on Hiway 17 or risk losing the SOO and BR.
Elliot Lake if they approve this plan have one of the best guys right in town in my opinion to run the on ice operations of the team in my opinion with Todd Stencill.
Elliot Lake doesn’t have any money !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are closse to 10 MILLION DOLLARS in the hole & on the verrge of bankruptcy..
The Bobcats are leaving because they couldn’t get enough interest in hockey there to ake it pay.
Oh how about the school bus rides by the Trappers cause their team can’t get anything else? Is this what player safety is all about?
Like the NOJHL sponsors name says:
Welcome to the gong show
Hockey guy We get it , u don’t like the nojhl. Leave it alone.
Actually I like it but the way it’s run is bad. Oh
and that’s all you got nothing about the safety
of players when they are travelling. Heck or at
least a bathroom on a bus.
RR – any playoff perdictions?
I say Kirkland Lake all the way!!!!!