For the first time in six years Phil Alalouf is not behind the Greater Vancouver Canadians Major Midget hockey team’s bench but that hardly means he is no longer involved in the district rep program.
Alalouf has taken the role of general manager to oversee the three teams that are now under the Canadians’ umbrella.
After adding a Minor Midget Division last season for 15-year-olds, B.C. Hockey has launched a Major Bantam League.
The season will begin with a Showcase Weekend at the Richmond Ice Centre, starting on Friday. Three more are planned for Chilliwack (Oct. 11-14), Langley (Jan. 10-12) and Kelowna (Feb. 1-3).
It’s the provincial organization’s response to the private hockey academy route that has taken the country by storm over the past few years.
“I still remember when the B.C. Major Midget League was officially announced 15 years ago and I asked (the then B.C. Hockey president) how far behind was a similar Bantam league. The response was they just couldn’t do that to the minor hockey associations,” chuckled Alalouf. “Now look where we are.”
The Major Bantam League’s pilot season will feature eight regional teams from across the province playing a 30-game regular season, in addition to the Showcase Weekends. The player fee, that includes travel cost and off-ice training, is $6,290 for every team.
It’s a significant amount but far less than playing academy hockey which ranges from $15,000 to $20,000 per season and sees all training sessions done during school hours and games only on weekends.
“The mandate was to provide parents a more affordable yet competitive alternative to help kids get recognized to play at the next level,” added Alalouf.
The academy route is so established now that it may take some time for the Major Bantam League to gain some traction. It’s rare these days to find any top WHL Bantam Draft picks that have not come from an academy program. However, B.C. Hockey’s Major Midget League has been a favourable destination for players looking for a year of transition before embarking on their junior careers.
The Canadians roster in the 2016-17 season featured Sasha Mutala and Henry Rybinski who were both selected in June’s NHL Entry Draft.
Now the goal is providing a three-or-four year development program for players to be identified and excel at junior.
“My biggest concern was making sure there was a level of consistency across the three teams. Our Major Midget team is well-established with a rich history and the other two have the same expectations,” continued Alalouf. “My easiest job was probably finding the three head coaches.”
Alalouf added he is very happy at how the Major Bantam team has come together. They have rolled through pre-season play with a perfect record under Vancouver Northwest Giants alumni Adam Nugent-Hopkins, brother of Edmonton Oilers Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
The Richmond Olympic Oval has been the Major Midget team’s home for a number of years. Alalouf is pleased the facility will accommodate all three teams this coming season, including two private dressing rooms.
“Last year it was tough enough just getting a couple of 9 p.m. ice times for our Minor Midget team. But this year the Oval has really come to the party for B.C. Hockey, recognizing this is a high performance program using a high performance building.”
