Competitive senior hockey is coming back to the Island.
The P.E.I. Stallions have joined the New Brunswick-based North East Senior Hockey league, and will be playing their home games out of the Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre in Montague.
The first home game is tentatively set for Friday, Nov. 4, at 7:45 p.m. against Bouctouche.
“The idea was around for a while to get into this league because you need to be in this league to get a chance at the Allan Cup and P.E.I. hasn’t had Allan Cup (action) in quite a while,’’ said head coach Bernard Cheverie.
Bouctouche, N.B., will host the Allan Cup national championship this coming season.
The team is owned by Tom Walker, who also serves as the general manager.
The P.E.I. entry recently took part in the first league draft as well as a dispersal draft. The Stallions started the draft by trading their first pick (fifth overall) to Elsipogtog Hawks for the 12th and 17th picks and playing rights for local player Ryan Murphy.
The following players were taken in the general draft by the Stallions: Tyler Noseworthy, Adam Laite, Andrew Wigg, Colby Lanceleve, Parker Deighan and Jon Jessome.
The following players in the dispersal draft were selected: Justin MacDonald, Chris Doyle, Sullivan Cullen, Marc Olivier Vary and Dakota Johnson.
The Stallion also announced the following players will be wearing the letters for the upcoming season. Devan Gunn will wear the C and his assistants will be Jamie MacIntyre, Marshal Ellis and Jesse MacIntyre.
Tending net for the Stallions will be former UPEI Panther Wayne Savage and Travis Willis.
“We’re putting a good contingent on the ice this year. It’s been very, very well received (by interested players). We got some great players from the Island here and picked up some great players in the draft and everyone wants to come and play.’’
It wasn’t all that long ago that senior hockey featured some of the best hockey in P.E.I. but it died off.
Cheverie said P.E.I.’s population simply couldn’t sustain it.
“Back in the day, parents used to have 10 to 12 kids. Nowadays, there’s lucky to be one (in the household). That’s a big factor and you add in the fact that most guys have to go out west to work so you cut down on your population again.’’