WESTLOCK — It started with a desire to bring senior hockey to the north central part of Alberta three decades ago and this week the Westlock Warriors will help mark a milestone for the North Central Hockey League (NCHL) when they host the league’s 30th-anniversary celebration in a special ceremony Oct. 19 at the Rotary Spirit Centre.
“We chose to have it with the two longest-tenured teams in the league right now, which are Westlock and Devon,” said one of the NCHL’s founders and current executive member, Kirk Holtet. “The league was actually formed in the summer of 1995 when eight teams sat around the table in Whitecourt for two days and hammered out the by-laws and constitution of the league.”
Those original eight teams were Edson, Hinton, Fox Creek, Whitecourt, Slave Lake, Swan Hills, Mayerthorpe and Sangudo, noted Holtet, adding representatives from those teams were instrumental in establishing how the league was formed.
“We’re going to have representatives from five or six of those original teams there (at the anniversary celebration),” said Holtet, noting that Sangudo dropped out at the last minute and Athabasca was brought into the league before the start of the NCHL’s inaugural 1995-1996 season.
The leagues charter teams included the Athabasca Aces (1995-1998), Edson Ice (1995-2004) and (2005-2017), Fox Creek Bandits (1995-1999) and (2000-2009), Hinton Heat (1995-2012) and two-time NCHL champions, Mayerthorpe Hitmen (1995-1997), Slave Lake Winterhawks (1995-2012) and 2013-2017) — six-time NCHL champions and Senior A provincial champions in 2005, Swan Hills Knights (1995-1998) and the Whitecourt Cats (1995-2003).
In addition to former presidents, vice presidents and directors from the league over the years, there will also be some notable players, including past league champions, who have had a significant impact on the league, taking part in the special ceremony on Oct. 19.
“Our current executive will all be there too … and we’re going to parade these guys out on the ice,” said Holtet. “It’s going to be a good night.”
Prior to joining the league in 2013 as the Westlock Warriors, the team was known as the Westlock Wolfpack and belonged to the NCHL from 1998-2000 and for the 2005-2006 season. They won the Senior A provincial championship in 2000.
Holtet pointed out some highlights over the leagues' history, including completing a successful inaugural season in 1995-1996.
“Getting through that first season was a learning curve for everybody,” he said. “The highlight (over 30 years) is probably Slave Lake winning five cups in a row in the early 2000’s. That’s pretty substantial and that’s never been done since.”
The NCHL’s first president was George Vanberg and the league's championship trophy was named the Vanberg Cup in 2003 as a tribute to its long-standing president and founder.
Originally, the NCHL was registered as a Senior A league until 2015, when Hockey Alberta designated the league as Senior AA.
Over the past few seasons, the league has seen several ex-NHLer’s suit up for different teams, including Westlock Warriors four-year veteran Bryce Van Brabant, who played with the Calgary Flames.
The special ceremony takes place prior to the Westlock-Devon game at the Rotary Spirit Center and begins at 7 p.m.
