Back in 2018, a few months into his tenure as the , Chris Hebb said the learning curve had been a steep one, and he compared absorbing the new information to trying to drink from a fire hose.
In the years since, it hasn乌鸦传媒檛 become a whole lot easier.
Hebb, a longtime sports executive with both Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment 乌鸦传媒� the Vancouver Canucks乌鸦传媒� former parent company 乌鸦传媒� and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the NHL乌鸦传媒檚 Maple Leafs and NBA乌鸦传媒檚 Toronto Raptors, has had just one BCHL season that would be considered normal.
Following his rookie season in the junior 乌鸦传媒楢乌鸦传媒� hockey league乌鸦传媒檚 top job, he presided over a season in which the playoffs were cancelled after the first round due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and after that, a season that was delayed for months and eventually turned into a , in which teams were grouped together in various parts of the province and only played each other, with no post-season tournament.
The 乌鸦传媒榩od乌鸦传媒� season did not include the league乌鸦传媒檚 sole U.S.-based club, the Wenatchee Wild, due to border closure issues, just to throw another wrench into the plans.
And then there is the current season, in which the schedule has been in a state of constant upheaval due flooding and highway closures throughout the province, which restricted travel to the point where teams are not travelling outside of their conferences to play.
The Omicron COVID-19 variant is still very much an issue, too, and led to the cancellation of the league乌鸦传媒檚 much anticipated 60th anniversary all-star festivities in Penticton, which were scheduled for this month.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 been one thing after another,乌鸦传媒� said Hebb.
乌鸦传媒淥bviously, coming in and learning the league and getting that first season under our belt was good, but it just feels like we乌鸦传媒檝e been battling barriers ever since.
乌鸦传媒淚 had a staff Zoom call乌鸦传媒� and we were saying it乌鸦传媒檒l be really nice when we actually get to run a league that乌鸦传媒檚 playing under normal circumstances.乌鸦传媒�
Due to increased provincial restrictions around events and a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases, the BCHL has postponed its 60th Anniversary All-Star Weekend to 2023.
乌鸦传媒� BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague)
RELEASE:
While Hebb has plenty of experience in the sports business, he told Black Press Media that there was nothing that乌鸦传媒檚 compared to what he and his team 乌鸦传媒� as well as the league乌鸦传媒檚 ownership groups, coaches and players 乌鸦传媒� have had to deal with over the course of the last 22 months.
乌鸦传媒淭he only thing that even comes close 乌鸦传媒� and I don乌鸦传媒檛 think it matches 乌鸦传媒� is that I went through lockouts in professional sports, both on the basketball side and the hockey side,乌鸦传媒� he explained. 乌鸦传媒淵ou had to manage those situations (without) knowing when it was going to end, and it乌鸦传媒檚 out of your hands, so that乌鸦传媒檚 similar.乌鸦传媒�
With regard to how the league has dealt with myriad issues this season, Hebb was quick to heap praise upon his staff 乌鸦传媒� especially deputy commissioner Steve Cocker, who Hebb said has been the one in charge of rescheduling games.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e got a great right-hand man,乌鸦传媒� he said of Cocker.
Hebb also noted that the league乌鸦传媒檚 owners 乌鸦传媒� including the four new ownership groups that have come on board since he joined the BCHL, including the expansion Cranbrook Bucks 乌鸦传媒� have also had to take more of a hands-on role than they otherwise would have.
乌鸦传媒淎ll of them have stepped up and worked on various committees,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e relied heavily on committees 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 not the league office making these decisions, it乌鸦传媒檚 the league office putting these decisions to the ownership. Our owners have been more engaged than they have been in the past, and I think that乌鸦传媒檚 worked in our favor.乌鸦传媒�
At the beginning of the pandemic, the BCHL created a return-to-play task force that has continually worked with the Provincial Health Office in an attempt to ensure that players have been able to play and that teams are following the appropriate guidelines.
That approach, Hebb noted, has led to an increased trust between the league and the PHO.
乌鸦传媒淲e haven乌鸦传媒檛 had much interaction with them this season because we understand the situation, and they know that we are going to do the right thing. That乌鸦传媒檚 how we managed to get the 乌鸦传媒榩od乌鸦传媒� season last year 乌鸦传媒� they trusted us.乌鸦传媒�
Since Day 1, Hebb said the goal of the league has been to play enough games that the players could be properly scouted in order to move on to the next level.
乌鸦传媒淭heir window (in junior hockey) is closing and we needed to get them games. By the end of (last) season we felt pretty good about the number of games we were able to get our kids, especially compared to other leagues (across the country).乌鸦传媒�
The recent cancellation of the all-star weekend events in Penticton were a blow to the league 乌鸦传媒� and the staff that worked tirelessly to organize it, Hebb said 乌鸦传媒� but it was a tough decision that had to be made. The festivities were not cancelled outright 乌鸦传媒� simply pushed forward to 2023.
乌鸦传媒淥micron is a game-changer, and one of the pillars of our league is player safety 乌鸦传媒� and that doesn乌鸦传媒檛 mean just on the ice,乌鸦传媒� Hebb said, adding that he feels terrible for the players scheduled to play in this year乌鸦传媒檚 event who won乌鸦传媒檛 be in the league next season.
All players will at least be given their 2022 all-star jerseys, he noted.
Thanks everyone for participating in the All-Star jersey fan vote! Here are the four jerseys that will be worn at the 3-on-3 outdoor tournament.
乌鸦传媒� BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague)
Stay tuned for more news regarding the All-Star Game this week馃憖
乌鸦传媒淚t was going to be a fantastic celebration, it was going to be great. And it still is going to be great 乌鸦传媒� we乌鸦传媒檙e just going to have it in our 61st year, instead of our 60th,乌鸦传媒� he said.
Despite all the obstacles Hebb has faced since taking the commissioner job 乌鸦传媒� he replaced longtime commish John Grisdale, who retired 乌鸦传媒� it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 enough to dissuade him from signing on for more. His initial three-year contract expired last summer, at which point he signed on for another term.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 been wild ride,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淲e had some real momentum going with our league, and then, COVID came in and kind of delayed it, but we乌鸦传媒檙e still going to grow the BCHL.乌鸦传媒�
sports@peacearchnews.com
Like us on and follow us on
