Fred Page Cup cancelled
Event’s economic spin-off for Summerside was expected to have been more than one million dollars
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – As expected, there will be no Fred Page Cup tournament this spring.
Hockey Canada announced on March 22 that the Eastern Canadian junior A hockey championship, and other regional qualifying tournaments for the Centennial Cup national championship, will not be contested this year.
“We are thoroughly disappointed that we are not going to be able to deliver this year’s event.,” said JP Desrosiers, community services director for the City of Summerside. “We’ve always made a commitment, as a city, to utilize events in the junior A ranks to profile the product, elevate the product and we really believe we were striving towards an elevated Fred Page Cup in Summerside in May.”
The four-team tournament was scheduled for Credit Union Place from May 10 to 15. The City of Summerside would have operated the event, with the Summerside Western Capitals of the Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) guaranteed a berth as the host team.
“Obviously, we are extremely disappointed,” said Capitals general manager Pat McIver. “We’ve been looking forward to it for a couple of years now, and the way things are opening up, we anticipated a great tournament and a great event for the city.”
Eight of the nine junior A leagues that comprise the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) recently voted to do away with the regional championships this year. The Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL) voted to keep them.
The champions of all nine leagues will join the host Estevan Bruins for a 10-team Centennial Cup in Saskatchewan in late May.
Desrosiers said with ticket sales and sponsorship exceeding expectations, things were shaping up to deliver one of the best-ever Fred Page Cup tournaments.
While disappointed with the decision, Desrosiers put things into perspective.
“From a Hockey Canada and CJHL perspective, when they provided some context with the ripple effect COVID has had with different jurisdictions across the country, couple that with a number of other national events being cancelled and changes being made, we have understand where Hockey Canada and the CJHL stands,” said Desrosiers, who added the budget for the Fred Page Cup would have been approximately $250,000.
Asked about the event’s economic spin-offs, Desrosiers predicted that number would have been north of a million dollars.
Although the tournament does not feature a large number of teams, Desrosiers said it has a decent following of scouts, family, friends and there is no doubt the city’s accommodations would have been full.
“In mid-May that is a welcome sign for operators, especially after the last couple of years we have had,” said Desrosiers. “That’s certainly is a loss.
“It’s one that is not lost on Hockey Canada, and we have talked about potentially replacing this event with another to put that impact back into the community at a later date.”
The Capitals also incurred extra expenses in the six-figure range this season building a competitive host team.
Now the Caps, who finished first overall in the 12-team MHL’s regular season with a record of 31-4-1-2 (wonlost-overtime losses-shootout losses), will look to reach the Centennial Cup by winning the team’s first league championship since the 2012-13 season.
“Our ultimate goal was always (winning) the MHL,” said McIver.
“We wanted to go in the front door (to the Fred Page Cup. Nothing has really changed in terms of our goals this year.”