Windspeaker Sports Briefs

Thunder Bay's AHL is ready for regular season

Following a one-year hiatus, the Thunder Bay's Aboriginal Hockey League is back ­ bigger and better than ever.
The league, which began its regular season play in mid-October, features six teams this season. That's the largest amount of squads the circuit, commonly referred to as the AHL, has had since its inception in the late 1990s.
When the league last operated two years ago, there were four entrants.
Commissioner Patrick Cheechoo, however, pulled the plug on the AHL last season as he said he was not able to get enough players to pay their registration fees up front.
"I still see a need for the league," Cheechoo said of his reason for reviving the AHL this year.
Cheechoo added there were numerous upset people a year ago because the league did not operate.
"There was quite a few that were disappointed it did not run," he said. "A lot of people though realized I was serious (about needing payments up front). And they realized we needed to get back on track."
Cheechoo said interest in the league was enhanced simply by placing some ads in a local newspaper. This brought in several new players and allowed the league to expand to half a dozen squads this season.
And Cheechoo, a distant cousin of National Hockey League player Jonathan Cheechoo, said there is even more room for the AHL to grow.
"If everyone played hockey that plays (in the area), we'd have over 10 teams in the league," he said.
Despite its moniker, the AHL is not restricted to Aboriginal players. But Cheechoo estimates about 90 per cent of those in the loop are Aboriginal.
The league includes players who are teenagers. And some of the AHL's older participants are in their '50s.
"We get all calibres," Cheechoo said. "It ranges from guys that have played junior to kids that just want to play. And there's guys in their '40s and '50s. They can all play in this league and have fun too."
Cheechoo said he started the league in the late 1990s, primarily so he could have a fun place to continue playing.
"I was just looking for a more fun and friendly environment to play in," he said.
Cheechoo previously played in various other Thunder Bay men's leagues.
"They were supposed to be for fun too, but it seemed like every game there was fighting," he said. "It just wasn't a good environment to be in."
After two seasons of play in the late 1990s, the AHL ceased operations as Cheechoo moved away from Thunder Bay, in part for work purposes. But he started the league up again once he returned to the northern Ontario city in 2001.
And despite the fact the league did not run last season, Cheechoo is now more excited than ever about the AHL.
"Things have been working a lot better now," said Cheechoo, a 40-year-old who besides serving as commissioner continues to play in the AHL himself. "And I'm promoting it a little bit more."
For the first time, the league's schedule is now available on the AHL Web site. Cheechoo is also hoping to soon include league stats on the Web site.

Simon playing in Russia

Judging by his early-season stats, Chris Simon has not changed how he plays the game.
But he's getting used to hockey life on a new continent now.
Simon, an Ojibway from Wawa, Ont., was known as one of the National Hockey League's most feared players during the past 15 seasons. And he was suspended a total of eight times during his NHL days for his on-ice behaviour.
Simon, 36 appeared in games with both the New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild last season. But he's no longer in the NHL now. He is however, still playing at a rather high level.
Simon is toiling in Russia's Continental Hockey League with a squad called Vityaz Chekhov.
During his first 14 games with the Russian side, Simon had a team-high 109 penalty minutes. Offensively, he had contributed with one goal and five assists.
During his NHL career, Simon, who played for eight different clubs, racked up 2,015 penalty minutes in 867 contests. And in those appearances he also collected a total of 322 points (154 goals, 168 assists).
Vityaz Chekhov's roster also features a handful of other North American players.
And the club's general manager Alexei Zhamnov, a former NHLer, played with Simon during the 2002-03 season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Marshall appointed the new ASC chairperson

Nova Scotia's George (Tex) Marshall is the Aboriginal Sport Circle's new chairperson.
Marshall, who has been involved in his province's sports programs for more than 15 years, was elected to his new post at the ASC's annual general meeting held in Kelowna, B.C. in mid-September.
"This is a tremendous honour," Marshall said. "I am privileged to serve as a leader of this great national organization."
Marshall is no stranger to leading. He was the team chairperson and the assistant chef de mission for Team Mi'kmaw Nova Scotia at this year's North American Indigenous Games in Cowichan, B.C.
Marshall is also currently a sports animator with Nova Scotia's Mi'kmaw Kina'matneway School Board. Duties include providing daily physical activity and healthy eating programs to Mi'kmaq schools in the province.
Meanwhile, Saskatchewan's Lyle Daniels will remain on the ASC executive board.
The board also includes newly elected treasurer Brian MacDonald from Whitehorse. Keith Dick from Manitoba's Opaskwayak Cree Nation and Cowichan's Karen Collins will continue in their roles as vice-chair and secretary, respectively.