The 2017-18 season is here and I'm the first to admit that it hasn't been easy getting here...but we are ready. First I apologize for the lateness of the schedule. We could not agree on the obvious 20 game schedule and we wanted more than 16 games....so 18 it is. It is impossible to make a good 18 game schedule with 6 teams....with 5 yes....with 7 yes. Bottom line is that schedule has been approved and away we go. We will work on getting to the even schedule next year. We have lost two teams. One team, the Wynyard Monarchs are now in the Long Lake Hockey League and we wish nothing but the best for them in 2017-18. The Avonlea Arrows have beeen in existence for over 65 years and are taking a year of absence. They became members of our league in 2001 from the remnants of the old Soo Line League. I can't thank the Nelson family enough for their support of senior hockey and their community. We hope that they can reorganize and join our league in time for the 2018-19 season. The good news is that we have the Southey Marlins back. They have been missed. Like the Arrows they have League and Provincial championships and we know that the folks that have volunteered to get senior hockey back in their community will be trying to get this team back to where it has been. The Marlins open up on Saurday evening against the Lumsden Monarchs at home. There will be a special opening ceremony at the game. Our season opens up on Friday evening when the Cupar Canucks visit the Lumsden Monarchs at 8 p.m. The Strasbourg Maroons open their season on Saturday evening in Cupar. The Raymore Rockets and Bethune Bulldogs begin their seasons on Wednesday evening in Bethune at 8:30 p.m.

To keep up to date please follow us on twitter http://twitter.com/HighwayHockey all of our tweets, which include updates from all games, appear on the front page just under the Upcoming Games column if you just want to follow us on the website during games. You can also follow my account the Pensky File http://twitter.com/GeraldT  The Twitter feed on our home page automatically updates if you prefer to just check there. Thank you for supporting the Highway Hockey League and we hope you can get out to a game near you!

Gerry Tomkins - President HHL

The HHL annual Fall meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 4th at the Southey rink at 7 p.m.

The Highway Hockey league held their Spring Meeting in Strasbourg on April 12th. Two important things happened at this meeting.

First, the Highway Hockey League has been advised that the Wynyard Monarchs are leaving our league and joining the Long Lake Hockey League. We appreciate our relationship with the Wynyard community and the management and players from the Monarchs over these past fifteen years. The Monarchs won the Robert Schultz Cup in 2008 and in 2014. They also won Provincial 'A' in 2014. The Highway Hockey League sincerely wishes the Wynyard Monarchs success in their new league.

Secondly, the Highway Hockey League is very pleased to announce that after a three year absence the Southey Marlins have been extended an invitation to rejoin our League after having given representation at our meeting. The Marlins had been in our league for over 25 years and have won our championship on five occasions with their last banner being in 2010. We look forward to working with the new executive in Southey and will pass on more information in future. To the Southey community we are excited to have senior hockey back in your community.

Gerry Tomkins

President

Highway Hockey League