For immediate release
April 27, 2017

Grand Falls-Windsor, NL- Both Hockey NL and the Newfoundland and Labrador Major Midget Hockey League (NLMMHL) have received considerable feedback on the process for the selection of the Western Zone Franchisee in recent days.

The NLMMHL executive has determined that there is indeed some inconsistency within the League By-Laws on who are voting members on the executive committee that make the recommendations for Franchise awarding. The League has confirmed that since the inception of the League Constitution in the 2010-2011 season, this is the first time that a competition has been in front of them for awarding a franchise and therefore, the By-Laws have never been tested.

After considering the original process and identifying these inconsistencies within the By-Laws, Hockey NL’s Minor Council in consultation the with the League have decided to rescind the franchise assignment to the Town of Deer Lake at this time, and defer the selection from the four bids until the League’s Annual General Meeting on June 9, 2017, when the teams and executive will determine a clear selection process in their By-Laws.

We understand that this decision will have an impact on all the stakeholders in the western region who have an interest in major midget hockey and we sincerely apologize for this delay. We also express our regret to all four of the groups who took the time and energy to present a strong bid for a franchise in our provincial league, especially the Town of Deer Lake who were already preparing for operation. We trust all parties recognize the rationale for this approach.

We believe this is a reasonable decision and we are confident that the Annual General Meeting will resolve this dispute and moving forward build a stronger administration.

We appreciate the level of passion expressed by all participants. As we continue to improve Major Midget Hockey in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, we shall strive to meet our goal of becoming the most successful Major Midget League in Atlantic Canada.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Craig Tulk
Executive Director, Hockey NL
P.O. Box 176
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL
A2A 2J4
[email protected]
709-489-5512 office
709-486-0442 cell
709-489-2273 fax