The 2019/2020 Kinistino Tigers Senior Hockey team. The 2020/2021 club wasn't able to get their team picture before the shutdown. (Submitted Photo/Kris Babbings)

By Mat Barrett

Senior Hockey Done

Senior hockey is all but over for season after latest Sask. Hockey announcement

Jan 15, 2021 | 12:36 PM

The Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA) sent out a memo on Thursday, Jan. 14, giving an update as to when we may see hockey games played again in the province.

The memo was a grim one however, the SHA stated we won’t see games for at least a month.

“No consideration of return to play (games) for at least four weeks,” the memo read. “And that a return to game play is unlikely to happen before the end of March.”

That timeline all but signals the end to senior hockey in Saskatchewan because their seasons are normally wrapped up by the end of March. Manager of the Wheatland Senior Hockey League’s Kinistino Tigers, Kris Babbings told northeastNOW it’s good to get some finality on a season, but it’s also sad to see it end.

“The guys live for this, and the fans live for this,” he said. “It’s one of the things that keep winters fun in small town Saskatchewan. So, yeah kind of mixed emotions when I read it.”

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Babbings said there were recent conversations with the league members as to what a shortened completion to the season could look like if things began in February. Although the recent memo all but shuts down those hopes.

“Realistically, when you see nothing happens until March, you know it’s over,” _{-Kris Babbings}

The Tigers only got to play a grand total of four games in November when the season began, but were shut down shortly after COVID-19 numbers began rising. Babbings said there will be some teams in Saskatchewan that aren’t able to recover from a season like this, ending senior hockey in that town. He said there’s also more at play than just the funds of the teams, they also need a place to play.

“We’re a business, in the sense that we have income and there are expenses,” he said. “But so is our rink and we need a rink to play in. So, while we only played two home games and I don’t even know that we got to practice this year, we still know that there’s money our rink is going to need to stay open for next year.”

Babbings added they’ll start working towards a plan for next season and he’s confident the Tigers won’t be one of those teams that aren’t able to return.

“There’s lots of questions,” he said. “At least now we can figure out what the answers are.”

There was lots of excitement for the Tigers this year as they were welcoming a few former Melfort Mustangs to their group, and Babbings said the team was just starting to get to know each other and the rookies were getting used to the senior game.

Babbings also gave credit to the businesses, fans, volunteers, and everyone who supported the team, saying it was an uncertain season, but they received tons of support from the community and that’s needed to keep any hockey team alive.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6