CIHL has Sudbury ice for 2015-16


By
February 18, 2015

Armed with a signed ice rental agreement and a signed dedicated space (dressing room) agreement, the fledgling Canadian International Hockey League plans to have a new franchise in Greater Sudbury for the 2015-2016 season.

The agreements are signed by the City of Greater Sudbury.

The new Sudbury franchise will be owned and operated separately from the failed Greater Sudbury Royals, who dropped out of the CIHL in January of this year when owner KB Beals folded the team.

CIHL founder and president Tim Clayden said he expects to formally announce the new Sudbury ownership in early spring.

“We have learned from past mistakes,” Clayden said evenly. “Our ownership committee is moving forward with a final screening of approval now that our new Sudbury area team has secured game ice, terrific practice time and a dedicated dressing room.”

Clayden said there are no shortage of hockey players in the Greater Sudbury area to choose from.

“Having a new team in Sudbury for next season is very exciting for the Sudbury area kids to be provided with choice and opportunity. We are looking for the second-and-third-level-entry players who may have been passed over for some reason and miss out on a place to play. There is no question Sudbury has the players and the talent to field a complete, competitive roster,” Clayden noted.

Meanwhile, effective its second season of operation in 2015-2016, the league will operate under a new name that will include ‘hockey academy.’

“We made some mistakes and we realize that the academy hockey format is recognized throughout the world and is not considered outlawed. Moving in the direction of academy hockey gives us an opportunity to work with all the major bodies in the hockey world and provide opportunities for the second-and-third-level-entry players,” Clayden added.

Clayden said he expects the CIHL will operate with “four or five teams from northern Ontario and northern Michigan” in 2015-2016 and play an interlocking schedule with the Midwest Jr. Hockey League. Currently, the MWJHL is a seven-member league with six teams based in Michigan and the other in Illinois.


What you think about “CIHL has Sudbury ice for 2015-16”

  1. Two things

    1) How many Junior teams can Sudbury support? Wolves, Barons, CIHL……other than the Wolves I don’t think the attendance is there?

    2) Can somebody please explain the academy hockey format? I understand Prep School hockey. But I’m not sure if this is the same thing? IsTC is trying to move his league from be “Outlaw” to playing within Hockey Canada rules? This is probably a good business decision.

  2. I’m excited that we will renew the rivalry again between Espanola and Sudbury. Many Espanola fans enjoy making the trip to Sudbury to watch the games. While in the NOJ, the Espanola fans would rival and sometimes outnumber the Barons fans.
    The Hockey Academy designation I don’t understand. How does a name change suddenly link the league with governing bodies around the world? What is the hockey academy format?

    1. Pretty much a new format in ontario but is big out west to have hockey academies. They would,I guess, fall under the same type of guidelines as high school hockey.

  3. great news and good to hear this kinda of thing happy for the league and TC hope everything works out thanks Randy for the good article Shawn

  4. Randy,
    I understand that this is completely unrelated to the CIHL however I’m just wondering how you have not talked about the ESKIS move to Timmins in the Noj. Us fans use you as a way to get insight on all Jr hockey goings on in Norther O and Northern USA. I understand that I could easily read about it in the Timmins Press but you seem to always have Inside INFO that the traditional press is either scared to publish or doesn’t have the ability to Digg the way you can.
    I look forward to read what info you may be able to come up with!
    If at this time there is really no news other than what the Tim Press published i completely understand.

    Thanks Randy!

  5. Word in town is that the same group will be involved with the franchise as it relocates to Timmins. I am sure the council meeting in I.F. was a bit uncomfortable after all of the moves to keep the team here last season. There will be a substantial debt to pay to the town of I.F. with regards to ice, etc. Timmins seems to be excited to have this level of hockey based on the council meeting. There are people (person) looking to have some form of Jr. hockey come to I.F. for next season.

  6. “For the love of” and “HockEye”,

    At first blush, it appears to me that Eskimos president Scott Marshall et al have turned their backs on Iroquois Falls at a time when the Town is reeling. Just my initial thoughts as I continue to investigate whether there is a cloak-and-dagger sidebar to this relocation story.

  7. Hey, I know Carol! Nice person! I would have thought that they would have signed an agreement with Jeff or Gord but I guess Carol must have done the paperwork.

    Speculation for sure as to which arena. You’d have to narrow it down to those who have dedicated dressing rooms. That would be the Sudbury arena (not affordable), Countryside (Vs, Midget AAA), Levack (AAA Sons), Chemmy (AAA Sons). I don’t think any other arenas have dedicated dressing rooms even though AAA teams have been asking for them for years.

    One thing I really don’t agree with is the assertion that there are lots of talented players in Sudbury to field a second Junior team. As we all saw in Capreol, the talent just wasn’t there. Where will they get all these talented local players who are willing to pay big bucks after the Royals debacle this year. They’d have to be reasonably priced, or at least better than what the Barons will charge. I’m hearing the price to pay for the Barons increased something like 75% this year and they are looking at charging big big bucks to offset the costs of hosting the Dudley next year. If this new CIHL is half the cost to play and the league is more competitive than this year, it may just work out.

  8. I would think the only arena the CIHL would be able to secure ice time in Sudbury would be Levack. I could be wrong about this, to be sure, but probably not. If I am right, there might not be many fans from Espanola travelling to Levack as they did to Copper Cliff. But with that, or without it, nice to have more choise to play and watch. With the CIHL’s commitment to schooling, Sudbury is an ideal location with its miriad of post sec institutions which will give the 2nd and 3rd level players a choise.

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