Policy relaxed
AUS removes skater cap for men’s hockey teams during unusual season
Roster limits have been relaxed as Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's hockey teams cope with an increased number of student-athletes turning pro this season.
AUS men's hockey teams are allowed a maximum of 22 skaters per team. Once a player plays a game, the card is used for the season. Goalies are excluded from the 22-skater policy.
"We've paused that policy," AUS executive director Phil Currie said.
The change enables university teams to dress academically eligible students, who were enrolled at their universities by Jan. 15.
"They can backfill their rosters if they need to," Currie said.
He said the need for the policy change this year was obvious, as more players than normal turned pro with uncertainty around the second half of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's either relax the policies or be in a position where maybe a team or two can't actually put a team on the ice and that would be tragic," Currie said. "Everybody is doing what they can under the circumstances to ensure that student-athletes get to play and when the green lights are given, we're ready to go and go in a safe way."
Men's hockey is the only sport that has a roster limit in the AUS and the AUS is the only conference with such a rule in U Sports. The rule was initially put in place for competitive balance purposes.
The change only impacts this season, but the rule could be part of an off-season review by universities with men's hockey teams and the conference's sport committee.
"I think this (year) is an anomaly," Currie said, but "this has certainly shed light on the challenges that you could face in certain situations."
The Acadia Axemen have been hit hard by players leaving the Wolfville campus for pro contracts. The latest to sign was 24-year-old defenceman T.J. Ferguson, who inked a deal with the ECHL's Florida Everblades after scoring a goal in 11 games in the first half of the season. He played the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons with Acadia following a four-year junior career in the Ontario Hockey League. The 2020-21 season was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Acadia's captain Garrett
McFadden, a defenceman, Number 1 goalie
Logan Flodell plus forwards Maurizio Colella and Tyler Hinam have also turned pro for the Axemen, the host team for the University Cup national championship in Halifax.
The Axemen have 17 skaters on their roster.
Head coach Darren Burns said he was unsure how the policy change would impact his team, but he would be exploring it.
The AUS announced Jan. 28 that its New Brunswickbased universities will resume regular season play starting Feb. 11 and an announcement for its Nova Scotia members was expected this week. If Nova Scotia eases restrictions, the conference said it will be prepared for its Nova Scotia teams to play as early as the Feb. 18 weekend.
"We're very optimistic that we're going to get where we need to be and finish off this season," Currie said.