The Elliot Lake Vikings have been granted a leave of absence, effective immediately, for the remainder of the 2024-25 NOJHL campaign. That means the squad’s players, including former Timmins forward Yenry Jibb, shown here lining up for a face-off against current Rock forward Clark Scaddan during an NOJHL contest at the McIntyre Arena on Oct 27, are looking for new teams. The Rock traded Jibb to the Cochrane Crunch in exchange for a player development fee on Oct. 22, 2022. The Crunch, who became the Iroquois Falls Storm, then traded him to the Vikings on Aug. 10, 2024, in exchange for a pair of players. THOMAS PERRY/THE DAILY PRESS jpg, TD, apsmc
Santa Claus, aka Commissioner Robert J. Mazzuca, has gifted the Timmins Rock a pair of extra victories during the NOJHL’s annual Christmas break.
Thomas Perry
The Daily Press/Postmedia Network
With Elliot Lake being granted a leave of absence, effective immediately, for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign, teams with games remaining against the Vikings will be credited with 1-0 victories in those contests.
In the case of the Rock, those victories will be earned as part of a two-game road trip that would have seen the Rock take on the Vikings at Rogers Arena (formerly known as Centennial Arena) in Elliot Lake on Saturday, Jan. 18, and at the McIntyre Arena on Sunday, March 2.
Neither outcome will, of course, signal an end to the Rock’s four-game losing skid they carried with them into the break.
They will get their first opportunity to end that streak when they take on the Gold Miners at the Joe Mavrinac Community Complex in Kirkland Lake on Friday, Jan. 10.
Given the Rock have a record of 36-0-0-0 against the Gold Miners over the past five seasons, odds would seem to be highly staked in favour of such an outcome occurring.
Should the Gold Miners find a way to beat Timmins, however, the next opportunity for the Rock to get back in the win column will come on home ice at the McIntyre Arena on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 1 p.m.
Earlier this season, the Rock scored a 4-1 home ice victory over the Vikings at the McIntyre Arena, on Oct. 27, and a 4-2 road triumph over Elliot Lake at the Massey & District Arena, on Nov. 17.
Getting back to the Vikings, The Daily Press was contacted by a parent of one of the Elliot Lake players on Dec. 23 indicating there were all kinds of issues with the NOJHL squad.
The parent, who refused to provide their identity, suggested 14 Vikings players had quit, there was tension among the team’s management group and that there were ongoing issues with Centennial Arena.
It was subsequently learned a meeting of the NOJHL’s board of governors was held, at which time the team was given a deadline of Dec. 30 to find enough players to continue with the 2024-25 campaign.
That deadline passed on Monday and the NOJHL announced Tuesday morning it was granting the Vikings “a leave of absence, effective immediately, for the remainder of the 2024-25 season, due to extenuating circumstances, resulting from the ongoing closure of Rogers Arena, formerly Centennial Arena, in Elliot Lake.”
A press release issued by the NOJHL notes with the venue remaining shuttered and unavailable for use, the Vikings have not practiced, or played, at home for a second consecutive season, making it extremely difficult in terms of finances, including incurring additional travel costs, along with the inability to skate and compete on home ice.
As well, the burden placed on the players and staff had a detrimental effect on the entire organization and played a pivotal role in this decision being made.
“It was originally scheduled for the arena to be open and operational for all users, including the Vikings, in time for the start of the 2024-25 season,” Mazzuca said.
“However, due to no fault of their own, the extended delays and the recent announcement by Elliot Lake city staff that the venue would remain closed indefinitely, a difficult choice had to be made.
“The entire NOJHL commends Elliot Lake team president Jef Jarmovitch and the entire organization, especially the players, who had aimed to persevere with the hopes of getting back in their venue and compete at home this season.
“We look to welcome them back to the league once it becomes feasible to do so.”
With the announcement the following will take place:
• The remaining regular season games involving the Vikings will not be played, with the opposing teams being credited with 1-0 victories and given two points in the standings.
• Every effort is being made to find new teams for the players to join and compete with for the remainder of the campaign, via the transfer of their playing rights, or other available transactions, prior to the NOJHL/Canadian Junior Hockey League roster deadlines (Jan. 10).
• All player and goaltender statistics to this point will remain intact and credited to them.
— With files from NOJHL Network
