SIJHL Rebrand Includes New Logo ckdr.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ckdr.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Dryden, ON, Canada / CKDR
Dec 29, 2020 8:08 AM
The Thief River Falls Norskies and the Wisconsin Lumberjacks won’t be a part of the Superior International Junior Hockey League when the 2020-2021 season resumes in the new year.
The League says the ongoing closure of the U.S./Canadian border to non-essential travel continues to make it impossible for the league and its two American based teams to meaningfully participate in any regular season or playoff schedule.
Officials from all three sides stress they worked their best to find a solution but the challenges appear insurmountable this winter and spring.
SIJHL Commissioner Darrin Nicholas says it’s a sad day and his heart goes out to the players, staff, management and those associated with both teams as they have worked tirelessly to try and find a way to get their respective teams on the ice.
The Superior League season will move forward without it’s American based clubs.
The league announcing that both the Wisconsin Lumberjacks and Thief River Falls Norskies will pause their activities for the 2020-21 campaign due to restrictions arising from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
League officials say that the ongoing closure of the United States/Canadian border to non-essential travel made it impossible for the league’s only two American-based teams to see a pathway to meaningful participation.
League Commissioner Darrin Nicholas put out a statement:
“This is a sad day for the Norskies, the Lumberjacks and indeed the entire SIJHL. “My heart goes out to the players, staff, management and all those associated with both teams and especially David Beito of the Norskies and Doug and Sophia Lein of the Lumberjacks who have worked tirelessly to try and find a way to get their respective teams on the ice. Unfortunately, the challenges facing our US members appear insurmou