The Portage Rotary Club learned about the complexities of icing a junior hockey team during a worldwide pandemic at its Tuesday lunch meeting as Cody Buhler, Portage Terriers marketing director, and assistant coach Paul Harland were welcomed as the guest speakers.

Being one of the few junior leagues across the country to attempt to embark on a season, and joining an even smaller list of leagues that have started any sort of regular season, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League has implemented numerous measures in an effort to keep fans, players, and team and league personnel safe. Among the biggest changes are mandating masks inside the arena, scheduling teams to play each other numerous times in a row to minimize any potential spread, capping fan attendance numbers, and resorting to predominantly weekend games.

The Terriers magic number in terms of arena capacity is 835 fans and has reported numbers of 700, 614, and 637 respectively through the organization's first three home games.

"Our number is 835, and so we have set aside a certain amount of that for season tickets and for flex packs. And then we've only allowed about 350 actual walk-up tickets to be sold just so that we don't hit that 835 number or higher," explains Buhler, in regards to how the team is ensuring they are capacity-compliant. "We do ask that people, if they are buying tickets, to get them well in advance. You can buy them at the Stride Place box office, or you can buy them online. Those are the best ways to guarantee your seat and to make sure that you've got a spot in the building."

Of the 10 leagues across the country that make up the Canadian Junior Hockey League, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League join junior leagues in Quebec and the Maritimes as the lone leagues even playing regular-season games in October. Ontario leagues are nowhere near any sort of gameplay activity while the leagues in provinces west of Manitoba are all in exhibition or extended training camp scenarios.


Paul Harland, Portage Terriers assistant coach, speaking to Rotary Tuesday.

Paul Harland, the team's assistant coach, outlines his thoughts on being one of the few CJHL teams in the country fortunate enough to begin the season.

"We're thankful for what the Terrier organization and the MJHL has done for allowing us to play and allowing fans in the rink," he says. "I think we're just excited that we're one of the few junior leagues that have actually started and we're giving the community something to come out and see if they want, and our team is excited to be on the ice every night."

Harland also fielded questions from Rotarians surrounding the cancellation of last year's national championship, which the Dogs were due to host prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the many new faces the team has this year. In total, the team had just five returning players from last year - one of whom was dealt later in the day Tuesday for a trio of skaters.

Fortunately for the fresh-faced Terriers, the rules in place this year have all Manitoba Junior Hockey League teams making the postseason, so the Dogs already have their spot reserved. And while the organization is reporting that the vast majority of fans are adhering to mask requirements - there have been some instances where people have been ignoring the public health mandates.

"Whether you agree with it or not, we just ask you to follow the rules. It's all about keeping people safe, and it's about minimizing the risks for those people who are at risk," says Buhler. "We have a wide age population that comes to Terrier games and we want people coming to the arena feeling safe, and so we just ask that people follow the rules."

The Terriers are back in action this weekend for a home and home set with Neepawa beginning Friday night at Stride Place.