The Alberta Junior Hockey League will vote Wednesday of this week on the St. Albert Steel’s request to relocate to Whitecourt for the 2012/13 season.
The Steel needs two-thirds support from the board of governors to play their home games in the newly-renovated 1,500-seat Scott Safety Centre after failing to fill the stands the last five seasons at the 2,000-seat Performance Arena.
The Steel are unhappy with the deal presented by the City of St. Albert during negotiations to extend the lease agreement at Servus Credit Union Place that expires Aug. 31.
The Steel have struggled on and off the ice since moving to St. Albert from Fort Saskatchewan in 2007. Season ticket sales fell from 454 in their first season to about 75 in 2011/12. They averaged 247 fans at home this past season and, with only nine wins, missed the playoffs for the first time in team history.
If the Steel leave St. Albert, it will be the city’s second AJHL team in less than 10 years to relocate to another community. In 2004 the St. Albert Saints moved to Spruce Grove.
The premier men’s season opener between the St. Albert Impact Rangers and St. Albert Impact kicks off Thursday at 7 p.m. at Riel Park.
Last year in the Edmonton District Soccer Association the Rangers finished third in premier at 8-7-3 and the Impact placed second in the division 1B at 12-2-2. This is the Impact’s first year in premier since 2008, when they finished last at 4-12-2.
The St. Albert Storm’s last game before the midget spring league playoffs is Friday against the Millwoods Grizzlies. Kickoff is 6:15 p.m. at the Riel Park turf field.
Tuesday the Storm huddled up against the Edmonton Mustangs at Clarke Park, but the score was unavailable at press time.
The third Storm loss in four games was 41-13 to the Parkland Predators last weekend in St. Albert. Parkland also beat the Storm 56-7 in the league opener.
In the May 12 playoffs, the top two teams compete in the Tier I final and the third and fourth teams play for Tier II honours at Clarke Park.
The 17th annual Spirit of the North karate seminar ends this weekend with a tournament at Servus Credit Union Place.
The black belts perform Saturday afternoon and Sunday’s session features all ages and ranks below black belt.
Grand Master Kiyohide Shinjo, an eighth degree black belt from Okinawa, Japan and head of the Kenyukai North American karate organization, is the guest of honour at the week-long seminar at the Desa School of Karate.
