Sports
November 01, 2007 07:14 PM
By: John Cudmore, Staff Writer
There is no case for the Showcase this season.
The traditional Christmas break tournament — the Newmarket Jr. A Showcase — hosted by the Newmarket Hurricanes for the past 15 seasons, has been put on ice, according to assistant coach and tournament chair Steve Sedore.
There are a couple of reasons for the cancellation.
In part, the fact the Hurricanes are hosts to the Dudley Hewitt Cup has bumped the tournament, which, in its heyday, attracted the top teams in the Ontario Provincial Jr. A Hockey League and, in a few instances, provided a sneak preview of the eventual league and DHC champion.
In recent years, however, the league’s teams, believing they are facing a long playoff run, have, for the most part, shunned an event that some also view as a Newmarket Hurricanes’ fundraiser.
With a guaranteed berth in the DHC, the Hurricanes are assured to be playing in late April. Of course, there’s no guarantee how much hockey the Hurricanes will play between the end of the regular season and the cup in April.
On the upside, shelving the event for one season may produce a even more attractive spectacle down the road.
In other words, it’s a convenient opportunity to step back and repackage an event that has declined from can’t-miss to one clearly gone stale.
“It's a big opportunity taken away for kids,” said Sedore, also an assistant coach with the Hurrricanes, noting 16 teams were already confirmed for this season's event. “Even on our team, there's a lot of kids disappointed the tournament won't operate this year.”
In recent seasons and for various reasons, the tournament has attracted fewer teams from the Junior A level and more American teams of Junior B and C leagues. In turn, fewer scouts have attended the event since they already see the U.S.-based players regularly.
If the Showcase returns in 2008, and it is a significant if, expect a fresh look.
The Hurricanes will try to sell the OPJ on a format in which all teams participate and their three round-robin games would be played against teams from other conferences and count in the regular season standings.
By adopting that format, the Hurricanes could help the league solve two issues in one slapshot — providing a mid-season showcase to promote its players and a solid interlock opportunity in which each conference gets a chance to sample the others.
Of course, inconveniencing a few teams lacking the ability to think beyond themselves is the challenge facing the concept.
“Hopefully, teams will see it as a league issue and not as an event for the Newmarket Hurricanes,” said Sedore.
“Our goal is to get the league behind us and come back bigger and stronger than ever. Teams believe it is money in our coffers (used) to go out and buy a few players but they don't understand what it costs to operate.”
That said, perhaps the league could mandate other teams/conferences to take turns shouldering responsibility in helping the Hurricanes stage the event.
As DHC hosts, the Hurricanes anticipate an extended playoff season which will take them four or five series deep and right up to the week-long tournament. That's also a strain on the club's volunteer base. They shouldn't be faulted for taking a break for those reasons.
“We have the teams but there is no break in the schedule for us this year,” said head coach and general manager Brian Perrin. “This is the only possible break for us.”
Redmen cage TigersNewmarket Redmen colours will be flying in Aurora for a second consecutive year.
That's because Redmen teams eked out a 24-23-5 record in the second Battle of Yonge Street challenge between the neighbouring minor hockey programs on the weekend.
As a result, NMHA president Stephen Paine presented a Redmen jersey to be displayed in the Tigers' offices for the next year.
It is the second consecutive year in which Newmarket teams prevailed in the friendly challenge that features a home-and-home series over the weekend, including all rep teams in the two organizations.
Just Jawin’ ... It is the ol’ switcheroo atop the Newmarket Baseball Association where Tim Brown is the new president. The former rep vice-president swaps positions with former president Ted Williams, who also went from rep veep to president two years ago ... When The Rock Golf Club in Muskoka re-opens next spring, Newmarket resident Greg Downer will be director of golf. The highly regarded Nick Faldo-designed course was closed this year for extensive renovations.