It’s official: Contacts, Stars moving to university’s Merlis Belsher Place
Midget AAA hockey teams to share new facility with Huskies hockey teams
It’s official.
The Saskatoon Contacts and Saskatoon Stars are both on the move next season.
The Contacts will leave Schroh Arena, while the Stars are about to say goodbye to the Canlan Agritwin Arenas.
Both teams will play their midget AAA hockey games at Merlis Belsher Place, the same rink that will soon house both University of Saskatchewan Huskies teams.
The Saskatoon Blazers will remain in the Rod Hamm Arena.
“It’s just exciting (that) all three of our (midget AAA) teams will have a solid home,” said Kelly Boes, executive director for the Saskatoon Minor Hockey League.
“I’m really excited for the female (Stars) team. Just the dynamic being the way it is, you tend to go straight from female midget AAA hockey to university hockey. To have the opportunity when the Stars schedule next month, they ’re going to try to maximize as many Saturday afternoon games prior to the female Huskies team.
“I really like the synergy.” With the much-anticipated opening of Merlis Belsher Place this fall, the SMHA will welcome extra ice time for all its teams. The $42.9-million multi-sport facility includes two Nhl-size ice surfaces along with two Nba-size basketball practice courts in the gymnasium.
“We’ve been told, as a minor hockey association, that we should have ice starting Oct. 1 there,” noted Boes.
Both the Contacts and Stars will remain in their current facilities through the summer months and through September for training camp and pre-season games.
The Contacts play in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League and Stars play in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League.
“AAA female hockey is the bestkept secret and I think the Ag did a great job with the ice and everything there, but it wasn’t a great place to watch as a fan,” Boes said. “Now they’ll have a better chance to help expose the success of the Stars.”
A new rink will match the teams’ level of success. The Stars have been to three of the last four national championships. The Contacts have won six provincial titles and the Stars have won three. Both teams have won a couple of Mac’s tournaments. The Contacts have won the one national title.
“It’ll look good when they get a chance to have a proper home and the visiting teams will be well taken care of,” Boes said. “The visiting dressing rooms are massive (at Merlis Belsher).”
About 1,500 hours of ice time will be dedicated annually for use by SMHA teams at Merlis Belsher Place. The Stars and Contacts will use less than 15 per cent of the SMHA’S total hours allocated at Merlis Belsher Place. As well, SMHA will gain access to the ice time vacated by the Stars and Contacts at their former home arenas.