Avalon East circuit set to start in late October

Maynard expects Capitals to return; league considering Trinity-Placentia application

Avalon East Senior Hockey League regular season is still over a month away and vice-president Joe Maynard says teams are in no rush to ramp up planning for upcoming campaign. After all, it’s still softball and soccer season. “With our type of hockey people, you play hockey in the winter and softball in the summer. When they’re over, then we start looking at hockey,” says Maynard. “What’s the sense of having a practice and only nine or 10 show up? We’re not playing in the NHL.

“We’ll get two or three weeks to get on the ice and start to get ready for a 25th of October start.”

When the senior B league resumes play, it will do so without the 2012-13 expansion Mount Pearl Samurai.

The return of the Mount Pearl H.J. Bartlett Electric Blades to the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League and the Glacier left the Samurai without a rink to call home this season.

“Also, a few of the boys think they’re going to have a shot with the team that’s in there and make a few dollars on it,” Maynard suggested, adding that some of the players who “came back from retirement didn’t think it was going to be as big a commitment as it turned out to be.”

There have also been rumours the St. John’s Toyota Plaza Caps, two-time defending champs, may not interested in competing in a three-team league. Maynard doesn’t believe that to be the case and says Caps general manager Jack Casey has said the team will be returning. Casey could not be reached for comment.

There’s still a chance the AESHL could be in for more expansion ahead of this season.

“Trinity-Placentia made application earlier in the year, but nothing has been confirmed one way or another. They haven’t closed the door on it yet.”

They may not be alone, as Maynard hinted another team are in early talks about a potential return to senior hockey.

“We do have irons in the fire, but they’re not red enough to talk about yet.”

Maynard expects to know more about the league’s makeup by month’s end.