The Osoyoos Coyotes massacred the Spokane Braves 11-2 in a game in January. Under the the new schedule, the two teams would only ever face each other in a league playoff final. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Fans of the Osoyoos Coyotes are going to be seeing a little less hockey and watching fewer teams for the upcoming 2016-17 season.
Team owner Randy Bedard isn’t happy about it, but the owners in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) last week voted overwhelmingly in favour of reducing the schedule from 52 regular season games to 47 and to implementing a “conference only schedule.”
This means the Coyotes will only be playing teams in the Okanagan-Shuswap Division for the 2016-17 season.
“The only way we would face a team from the Kootenay Conference is to meet them in the league finals,” said Bedard.
This means the Coyotes won’t be playing Columbia Valley, Creston Valley, Fernie, Golden, Kimberley, Beaver Valley, Castlegar, Grand Forks, Nelson or Spokane either at home or on the road for at least the next two seasons, said Bedard.
“I voted against the changes, but the final vote was 18-2 in favour, so there’s not really much I can do,” he said.
The unbalanced schedule means the Coyotes will continue to face the teams in their division – North Okanagan, Kelowna, Princeton and Summerland – eight times (four times at home and four on the road), but will be facing the teams in the other division within the Okanagan-Shuswap Conference much more than in the past, said Bedard.
Those teams include 100 Mile House, Chase, Kamloops, Revelstoke and Sicamous.
“Instead of playing the teams in those division three times … twice at home and once on the road or the other way around, we’ll now be facing those five teams three at home and three on the road,” said Bedard.
The majority of team owners believe this unbalanced schedule will save significant dollars in terms of travel and will make established rivalries even stronger, said Bedard.
None of the changes are going to positively impact the Coyotes, so Bedard voted against the proposed schedule changes, but respects the fact the majority of owners are in favour.
“Because Osoyoos is so centrally located, this new schedule doesn’t benefit us much at all and that’s why I voted against it,” he said. “But for a lot of teams, the geography is crucial and many of them will be saving significant dollars by not having to travel to play teams in the other conference.
“It all comes down to geography and economics and I have to respect that the majority of owners are in favour of this.”
Bedard said he would much rather have to travel to Grand Forks several times each season, rather than make the long trip to 100 Mile House and Chase, but the changes won’t allow for that.
The biggest reason given to reduce the number of games from 52 to 47 was to ensure almost all league games are played on weekends, he said.
“The owners felt there were too many mid-week games and they weren’t getting good crowds to those games,” he said. “The reduction in games means almost all games will now be played on the weekends and having more Friday and Saturday night games will ensure larger crowds and more revenue for the teams.”
Another proposed change that hasn’t been officially adopted yet is changing the playoff format in the league semi-finals and finals, said Bedard.
One proposal brought forward would see the opening round of playoffs remain best-of-seven as well as the division final series. However, the conference finals and league championship series would become best-of-five.
“That hasn’t been officially adopted yet, but it is on the table and that appears to be the direction the league is headed,” he said.
The Coyotes will begin the 2016-17 regular season on Saturday, Sept. 10 on the road in Revelstoke.
They will play their home opener two weeks later on Saturday, Sept. 24 against Kamloops.
“Overall I’m very happy with our schedule,” said Bedard. “I wanted as many Saturday night home games as possible and we got a ton of those, so I’m happy.”
The annual summer prospects camp in Osoyoos will be a joint venture as the Coyotes and Princeton Posse have agreed to co-sponsor the camp, he said.
Dozens of players looking to earn a spot on either team will be at the Sun Bowl Arena from Friday, July 15 until Sunday July 17.
All hockey fans are welcome to attend the prospects camp free of charge.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
