The Okotoks Oilers’ bid for a 10th straight win has been put on hold.
An update from the Alberta Junior Hockey League on Monday evening confirmed three games have been cancelled during the Jan. 23-24 period including the Oilers’ Jan. 23 home date versus the Canmore Eagles.
"Our game tomorrow night against Canmore has been cancelled by the AJHL," reads an Oilers' social media post. "All single game ticket buyers will receive a refund, while season ticket holders will be ticketed for the rescheduled game. We apologize for the circumstance and short notice."
This comes on the heels of four cancelled games on the weekend after news broke of the British Columbia Hockey League confirming five teams, the Oilers, Brooks Bandits, Blackfalds Bulldogs, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints, had agreed to terms to join the league for the 2024-25 season.
“The Alberta Junior Hockey League continues to operate as a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and has not suspended any of its 16 member teams,” reads the Jan. 22 AJHL statement.
“All games played have been league sanctioned, under the management of AJHL game officials, and recorded in the league standings.
“The AJHL will continue to assess next steps and schedule implications.”
The other cancelled upcoming games are the Jan. 24 Sherwood Park and Camrose Kodiaks match as well as the Spruce Grove and Lloydminster Bobcats contest.
To date, games featuring one of the five teams in question versus one of the 11 other AJHL member teams have been cancelled since the AJHL’s first release on the situation on Jan. 20. Okotoks and Spruce Grove’s game last Saturday went ahead.
Okotoks’ next scheduled game is Jan. 26 in Brooks.
For more information, go to ajhl.ca.
