DHC host officially confirmed
We have known about this for several months. And now it has finally been made official as to who will be the host entry for next spring’s Dudley-Hewitt Cup, Central Canada junior A hockey championship tournament.
That is, the Red Lake Miners of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League will be the host team for the annual event that, in this case, will be held from May 10 to 14, 2022 at Cochenour Arena.
Joining host Red Lake at the four-team DHC will be the champions of the SIJHL, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and the Ontario Jr. Hockey League. Should Red Lake win the SIJHL championship for the 2021-2022 season, the league’s runner-up team will be the fourth entry into the DHC tournament.
Though Cochenour Arena can only house 500 spectators, Red Lake general manager and coach Geoff Walker told Hockey News North that “our barn has a great atmosphere … the fans are right on top of the action.”
A town of just over 4,000 residents, Red Lake “is a great little hockey community … a great little hockey town,” noted Walker.
Red Lake is located about 330 miles northwest of Thunder Bay and is just over 60 miles from the Ontario-Manitoba border.
Meanwhile, SIJHL commissioner Darrin Nicholas gave his thoughts on small town Red Lake being the host site for the next edition of the DHC championship tournament.
“It has been my experience almost exclusively that the best atmospheres have been in the smaller communities. The event really becomes the talk of the town, the focus of everyone’s attention for the duration of the tournament, and the locals really go out of their way to ensure all involved are treated to a first-class event that showcases the host town and surrounding area,” said Nicholas.
The only issue with hosting big tournaments in small towns is a lack of accommodations