Huskies seeking new digs with Belsher repurposed

Converting Merlis Belsher Place to a field hospital, in case of a COVID-19 surge in the province, has left University of Saskatchewan hockey teams searching for a temporary new home.

If the Canada West conference gets the green light to proceed with the 2020-21 season, the U of S Huskies men’s and women’s hockey teams will have to go elsewhere for practices and games.

There are still many hurdles to clear before university hockey — or, really, any sort of organized and competitive hockey in Canada — is allowed, come fall.

In the meantime, the Huskies will prepare for a shortened schedule and reduced travel outside of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where COVID-19 case numbers have remained relatively low.

“We’re looking at a road show,” said Dave Hardy, chief athletics officer for Huskie Athletics at the University of Saskatchewan.

Hardy said the Huskies are working closely with the City of Saskatoon to secure practice ice. They’ve also been working in remote communities to host games, and they anticipate hosting some of their home games at Sasktel Centre.

Cities like Prince Albert, Humboldt, North Battleford and Melfort are the most likely suitors.

Plans, however, do not include a return to an incapacitated Rutherford Rink.

Going forward, everything is dependent on the health authority.

“We’re in the process, obviously, of finalizing an agreement with the Saskatchewan Health Authority to turn over Merlis Belsher Place,” said Hardy. “We anticipate it will be utilized, and constructed, as a field hospital, perhaps up to a year.

“Certainly, our hockey plans do not include Merlis Belsher Place.”

Merlis Belsher Place’s shutdown also affects U of S basketball training facilities and team rooms, as well as soccer team rooms and coaches’ offices for basketball, hockey and soccer.

MBP OPENED IN 2018

The long-awaited multi-use facility with twin-pad hockey arenas opened in the fall of 2018 with much fanfare; the total cost was $51 million.

The state-of-the-art complex — complete with two basketball courts and the Ron and Jane Graham Sport Science and Health Centre — was built with the help of nearly 500 donors from across Canada who supported a fundraising campaign. Merlis Belsher spearheaded the campaign, with the largest single donation from an individual in U of S history, by donating $12.25-million himself.

Ron and Jane Graham, Wright Construction, the Wright family, the Margaret Richardson Hulings family, Lawrence and Patricia Rychjohn, Ian and Alice Van Norman and Hamm Construction each contributed more than $1-million to the project.

RECRUITING CONTINUES

Recruiting for Canada West hockey teams continues, in case the season can go ahead as hoped.

The U of S men’s team — reigning Canada West hockey champion — have announced four recruits thus far.

They include a pair of Western Hockey League captains in Lethbridge Hurricanes’ defenceman Ty Prefontaine and Swift Current Broncos’ forward Jaxan Kaluski, along with former Vancouver Giants forward Dawson Holt and Medicine Hat Tigers D -man Parker Gavlas.

The U of S women’s team has announced the addition of U Sports transfers Jayda Sachs (Waterloo) and Meg Dyer (University of Lethbridge), who is joined by sister Mallory Dyer.