(File Photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Nipawin Hawks AGM

Hawks hold AGM, operate surplus in 20/21, may need new assistant coach

Jun 23, 2021 | 9:25 AM

The Nipawin Hawks held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday at Centennial Arena.

The financial statements were presented and reports were given by the president, governor, and head coach.

It was a year full of unknowns for every team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with teams playing only a handful of games before things were paused, and eventually cancelled for the year. However, president Scott Anderson said that with limited expenses, continued fundraising, and successful years in recent memory, the team is looking relatively good heading into 2021-22.

“It turned out to be a reasonably successful year,” Anderson said. “We will have a small profit, we’re not exactly sure what that profit is yet, but we will have a small profit.”

Anderson pointed to some fundraisers including their farming project which has been extremely successful over the years, and while not all the funds from that project were used in 2020-21, it will most certainly help along with another good farming project this year.

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“It’s almost like having two fundraising years in one,” he said.

The team has budgeted for just over a $20,000 surplus for 2021-22 and Anderson said that is something they hope to do but it is ever-changing, especially with COVID-19. He said they have planned for it to be a “back to normal season”.

The Board of Directors also welcomed six new members on Tuesday night.

Hawks head coach and general manager Doug Johnson also updated attendees on the status of his team on the ice. He told northeastNOW that there are lots they don’t know about players that are coming in yet, especially with various restrictions in each province. Johnson said it’s up to the players to put the work in and develop.

With a lot of unknowns over the past 15 months, the SJHL has also allowed teams to start training camps at their discretion. For the Hawks, that will be Aug. 27, a date Johnson said is good as it’s just before school so they can bring in their younger players and get their team together and ready before the puck drops on the regular season.

“Let guys battle and get them used to it,” he said. “And get them together, that’s one thing, guys want to be together, there’s group chats all the time. They’re missing each other.”

The regular season kicks off for the SJHL on Sept. 24.

When the season kicks off for the Hawks, fans are likely to see a new assistant coach behind the bench. Johnson said Jeremy Blumes is pursuing other options, but Johnson didn’t close the door on him returning. He said they don’t want to get caught “with their hands in the cookie jar” and are keeping things internal for now and will announce more soon.

If Blumes does in fact not return, it will be the Hawks’ fifth assistant coach in four seasons since their SJHL Championship in 2018. Johnson said that there’s always an effect when you bring in a new voice, but you hope it complements the team.

“You just try to get the best guy possible,” Johnson said. “Somebody that can overcome your weaknesses, strengthen yourself is kind of the big thing we’re looking for.”

Johnson also said that all but one graduating Hawk has found a post-secondary spot for hockey if they wanted one. Just one more player is set to make a decision, while two graduates have decided to pass on post-secondary hockey.

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mat.barrett@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @matbarrett6