Key stakeholders being asked to provide insight into future of AAA hockey in province

Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador is holding a town hall session Sept. 14 from 7-9 p.m. at the Albatross Hotel in Gander to give key stakeholders a say in the future of AAA programs moving forward after concerns about the program have been surfacing over the past year or so. - Dave Kearsey

Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador wants its key stakeholders to have a say in the future of the AAA program in an effort to see what can be done to make it better and find out what can be done to ensure the best program is being offered to the players.

Players, coaches, officials and parents can have their say in the future of the AAA hockey program by voicing their concerns at a town hall session planned for Sept. 14 from 7-9 p.m. at the Albatross Hotel in Gander.

The open session is being held in conjunction with the association’s fall meetings where over 150 delegates representing all levels of hockey in the province will be coming together to discuss plans for the 2018-2019 season.

Minor and female council representatives as well as members of executive committee of HNL will be attendance to hear concerns and answer questions from the key stakeholders and anybody who has an interest in the future of AAA hockey in this province.

HNL executive director Craig Tulk said the session comes as a result of challenges being faced by the association when it comes to delivering AAA hockey programs for male and female players in the 11-17 age bracket who have varied league structures and demands.

The program was designed to provide highly skilled players with an avenue for best-on-best competition with the geography of the land one of the challenges faced by teams throughout the province, but also focused on player development to prepare players for a higher level of hockey once they graduated from the minor hockey ranks in their respective local minor hockey associations.

Tulk said some people have expressed concern over the past year or so about the decline in the number of teams competing at the AAA level and the exodus of talented players who accept offers to play other levels of hockey in both Canada and the United States.

Tulk said the session is all about getting feedback from the membership as to what they feel would be the best program to offer and how to make that happen.

“We’re hoping that we really get a good feedback from our stakeholders so our executive can hear it all and then going forward any future decisions are based on information from our membership,” Tulk said.