Mandatory use of little kid cages on helmets will become a requisite regulation for participants in the Alberta Junior A Hockey League (AJHL) from this point onward. When rules like this use to even be brought up you would often look around and see that it was the worst player on the teams dad made the rule up so his kid could play🙄The first team that did it was a junior B team in the VIJHL in BC in 2017. Then a whole junior A league in Ontario did it. It was bad enough to do it to Junior B. As obvious as it is true another rule from out east that ruins something good out west. Sounds familiar?
A rule set forth by Hockey Canada, commencing with the 2025-26 season, all AJHL teams will be obligated to wear annoying face cages, with the primary aim of “enhancing safety within the sport.🙄” It absolutely makes the organizations appear to be less professional. I do get that the safety stuff or they’re going to College where they wear it too, but come on🙄 I have an issue watching college hockey due to the cages. This to me makes it look like they want to take it steps further like ban hitting or next ban skates as they are sharp.🙄 I do not care either way and will support the team, I do however think this will make some view the league as Junior D beer league. I can’t wait to see how they are going to deal with penalties if a helmet comes off or is taken off in a push match with love taps🙄.
Maybe they should make the coaches on the bench and the refs wear full cages too (Don’t forget the team bus driver😉). I mean you can never be too careful I think I might have to purchase a full cage to sit in the stands to show my support🤡. This way we can achieve the goal, the goal of full body armor by the year 2030! Net zero injuries💪. The birth year and player ages who will be mandated to wear full face protection are outlined in detail below: 2023-2024 season – 16, 17, and 18-year-old players (2005/2006/2007 birth years) 2024-2025 season – 16, 17, 18, and 19-year-old players (2005/2006/2007/2008 birth years) 2025-2026 season – all players must wear full facial protection.
The AJHL detailed the modus operandi for implementation during the recent annual general assembly convened in Canmore. In accordance with an announcement from the AJHL, “Hockey Canada has sanctioned a facemask policy applicable to all constituents of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). As of the inception of the 2023-24 season and throughout subsequent seasons, CJHL participants born subsequent to December 31, 2004, must don comprehensive facial protection while partaking in any on-ice engagements.”
Commencing with the 2023-24 season, competitors aged 18 and below will be obliged to have complete facial protection. By the 2024-25 term, this obligation will extend to players aged 19 and below, ultimately culminating in the requirement that every AJHL player adhere to Hockey Canada’s edict by the 2025-26 season. CJHL players, as well as teams and leagues, retain the prerogative to adopt this measure prior to the stipulated deadlines.
Hockey Canada’s tried to introduce this stupid change in December of the preceding year but it was met with opposition. In Saskatchewan in the SJHL they surveyed the players. 91% of them said they would sign a waiver or pay extra insurance to not look like dorks.
I have said it once and I will say it again. The BCHL did a smart thing. Ditching Hockey Canada. Even those in power though that claim they are against this in the AJHL won’t do squat anyway. In all reality implementing the cage rule isn’t even close to the worst thing the Hockey Canada Honchos who implemented it have done to hockey. Its not even close really. If people in power can not wake up enough to ditch and distance itself from an organization that bases its business model on Harvey Weinstein. They ain’t going to do nothing.