30 Days in the Hole

30 Days in the Hole
So the KIJHL decided that they will suspend any player who won't report to his new team after he gets traded for 30 days. This means that the player can't play any organized hockey for 30 days. He can't even go back to his midget team if he is eligible to either. BC Hockey may intervene on that, but they sure turned their heads away like the girl in the movie the "Exorcist" when the Trail Smoke Eaters suspended Ryan Edwards and would't let him go back to Beaver Valley  couple of years ago.

Don't remember that story... well you're in luck click right here for all the gory details... it's a bus stopping beauty and well worth reading !

Also...as I remember it ... there were several KI coaches and managers who were outraged at the time... how soon they forget.

So for the uninitiated... this means a player who is playing in say  Fernie or Kimberley, and lets say for the sake of argument he's from the area, gets traded to one of the furthest teams like Princeton or 100 Mile House, he has no choice in the matter, he is forced to move like it or not.

That was fine a few years ago when teams held a heavy hammer but now the world is different, players are starting to know about their rights, or at least they should. It's worse in the BCHL who are part of the CJHL Jr "A" league, they  can trade a player clear across the country then suspend him if he doesn't report. How's that right.

And Hockey Canada does the same "Exorcist" turn your head act as we talked about a couple of paragraphs ago as well by allowing the CJHL teams the right to run roughshod over their players if they so chose. For the record, not all teams do this.

Hockey Canada's Mission Statement 
"Lead, Develop, and Promote Positive Hockey Experiences " Huh?

The KIJHL argument is that it will help the "Small Market Teams" that often see players not report then have to trade them for little or no return. Yet at the same time the KI , with a fair bit of fanfare from the media,  is entertaining the idea that Williams Lake and Quesnel may want to join the league. Two more big market teams coming up to bat. The small market teams will be under fire for a while, but some player, some day, with money, will challenge this one in court, "Charter of rights" maybe... I ain't a lawyer but I think I know a wrong when I see it.. But Who Am I click and find out