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By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)
Junior "A' Hockey

AJHL set for full 2021-22 season, unique overtime pilot planned

Jun 28, 2021 | 1:52 PM

The Alberta Junior Hockey League has announced it is preparing for a full 2021-2022 season under the guidance of provincial health guidelines.

The league, which will welcome its newest team, the Blackfalds Bulldogs, this fall, held its annual general meeting on June 26.

Sixteen teams will compete in a 60-game schedule, including 16 interlock games, meaning each team will play every other team four times.

Every team will also play two regular season games at the annual AJHL Showcase, which is scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 3 in Brooks. That event will attract more than 200 members of the scouting community, including from the NHL, NCAA Division I, II and III schools, Canadian post-secondary and the CHL.

Prior to the season, the inaugural AJHL Prospects Showcase will take place July 23-25 at River Crees Arenas in Enoch/Edmonton. The three-day event will provide players with a new development experience and opportunity for GMs, coaches and schouts to identify and evaluate prospects.

Meantime, the AJHL is trying out an innovative overtime pilot project during exhibition play starting August 27.

“Overtime will consist of a six-minute sudden victory period starting with 3-on-3 play, then moving to 2-on-2 at the first whistle after the 4:00 minute mark, and to 1-on-1 at the first whistle after the 2:00 minute mark. If the score remains tied after overtime a best-of-three shootout will follow,” a release explains.

The league will also implement a four-person referee system in a greater number of games with a commitment to providing that level of officiating for 75 per cent of the schedule.

“The Alberta Junior Hockey League will enter into a new league-wide partnership for advanced video analytics in the 2021-22 season,” the release shares. “The new partnership, which will be announced in July, will provide all teams with a comprehensive statistical and analytical platform and enhanced coaching tools to optimize team performance, pre-scout competition, evaluate prospects, and provide exposure for AJHL players to scouts worldwide.”

Training camps begin Aug. 20. The AJHL’s 2021-2022 regular season schedule will be released June 29.

Playoffs are currently slated to begin March 4, with the league champion automatically advancing to next year’s Centennial Cup (Canadian Jr. A championship) in Estevan, SK, from May 20-29.

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)