Smithers working towards goal of a return to the CIHL

It's still early in their efforts, but a hearty band of Smithers hockey fans are looking to return the Steelheads to the CIHL fold, with community efforts put into motion in recent weeks.

The grass roots work is being led by Eric Tevely and Jeremy Chadsey along with a group of former players and newcomers to the Smithers area.

The group started the campaign in April with some informal meetings in the community and have continued to develop their business plan over the last two months, hoping to build interest in the community along the way.

As part of their push to bring back the Steelheads, the group noted that many of the former Steelheads have kept up with their Senior Men's hockey by playing for other CIHL teams, though their preference would be to return to representing their own home towns and playing at the legendary Pond of the Northwest.

In May the group made a presentation to Smithers Town Council  making their case to the Council members, with three requests of the municipality to help them move their plan forward.

Among the requests of Smithers officials the team would like to see acted on are:

A lease for the Civic Centre concession operations, request permission to operate a beer garden at home games and have the Town of Smithers place the Steelheads logo at Centre Ice.

Smithers Council will make their decision on the requests at the next  Council session scheduled for June 11th.

Some notes on the push to return the Steelheads to action can be reviewed below:

Smithers Steelheads make push for 2019-2020 return
Steelheads recruiting event shows promise


The CIHL team folded prior to the 2017-18 season with team officials noting the ability to recruit players and the challenges of the travel schedule required as part of the CIHL as the key reasons for the team departing the league.

The prospect of a return for the Steelheads would be well received among the member clubs and make for the return of a popular rival for the three other Northwest teams of Prince Rupert, Terrace and Kitimat.

Should Smithers move forward with their plans over the summer, they will return the CIHL to six teams in time for puck drop to the 2019-2020 season in October.

With a new facility now in place in Hazelton, there is also some interest of a return to the league reportedly coming out of that community.

Though at the moment, those plans do not appear to be quite at the same pace as the Smithers work.

Hazelton's Wolverines last put a team on the ice in the 2011-2012 season. They folder prior to the 2012-2013 season owing to a lack of players and community support.

The league will have a better idea as to where both groups are by the middle of June, with some kind of intent to rejoin required in order to plan for the year ahead.

Some notes on the 2019-19 CIHL season can be found from our archive here.


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