Between 120 to 150 scouts from the junior B to NHL ranks cruised South Okanagan rinks watching Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) championship games.
They carefully watched and took notes on the players in the five divisions. The amount of scouts and parents in attendance impressed Andy Oakes, chairman of the CSSHL and president of the Okanagan Hockey Group.
“It looks like we’re going to have met all of our financial goals for the event, which is really successful,” said Oakes, who stated they wanted the championship to break even. “Especially when we’re coming back for the next three years, those positives have been really good. The people that have come have been able to watch great hockey, no matter what game it has been, it has been good hockey.”
The championship began March 13 and on that day the CSSHL announced the playoffs would be hosted in Penticton for another three years. Oakes said as the league grows, members will continue to look at what makes sense for the championships for locations.
“This year the leagues members felt comfortable looking at a three-year commitment because of how many teams are in the league currently and can it be hosted in one location,” said Oakes. “After getting through the second year, we will probably be back at the table discussing what are we doing for the next three to five years.”
Oakes said teams and scouts like coming here with everything being close and the ease to get from rink to rink. Oakes also said there is a feel of small rinks and small town that likely would “kind of get lost in the mix a little bit” if it was held in a larger centre. That feeling in Penticton leads to something else.
“They take over. They feel important there,” said Oakes.
The services provided by Spectra Management, especially with offering food services for post game meals pleased visiting programs.
“It’s been really easy for the programs. That’s what they want,” said Oakes.
As for the on-ice product, Oakes said upwards of 60 to 70 players will be selected in the Western Hockey League’s upcoming bantam draft.
“Everybody has been pleased with being able to see as much hockey and as many players as they can here in such a short period of time,” he said.
Edge School in Calgary captured the Midget Prep Championship with a 3-1 win over the Burnaby Winter Club (BWC), while the BWC won the Elite 15s Championship. Pursuit of Excellence defeated the Delta Hockey Academy 7-1 to claim the Bantam Prep Championship. Pursuit also won the Midget Varsity title with a 6-3 win over Pilot Mound Hockey Academy and Delta claimed their third straight Bantam Varsity championship.