The Alberta Elite Hockey League has released its schedule for the 2021-22 season.
The newly formed league oversees U18AAA (formerly Midget AAA) U16AAA and U15AAA (formerly Bantam AAA) across the province. The regular season gets underway for U18AAA and U15AAA on Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 for the U16AAA teams.
The Red Deer Optimist Chiefs U18AAA will open the regular season campaign at Servus Arena against the Calgary Buffaloes, with puck drop set for 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Red Deer Rebels U15AAA group gets underway on Oct. 2, when they welcome the Calgary Buffalo Bisons to Servus Arena at 2 p.m.
A week later, on Oct. 9, the Red Deer North Stars (U16AAA) will kick off the season also at Servus Arena for a 2 p.m. contest with the Calgary Northstars.
For most minor hockey teams across the province, the 2020-21 season was short-lived because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After an inaugural season that really never got underway last year, the league is pleased to be able to unveil the full regular-season schedule for all three divisions of the AEHL,” said Aaron Rawlake, vice chair, Male Elite Hockey Committee for Hockey Alberta.
“We are looking forward to seeing our players on the ice, fans in the stands, and some great hockey action.”
The league will also provide a live stream for games on HockeyTV. According to a news release, “all livestreams will include live scoring and in-game overlays, giving viewers a high-quality experience and bridging the gap between the arena and watching from home.”
The season will feature a total of just over 1,000 regular-season games across the 57 teams in the three divisions.
The U16 and U18 divisions will hold their showcase week from Dec. 2-5 at Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre in Edmonton.
The U15 Showcase weekend is set for the Leduc Recreation Centre, Feb. 3-6.
Full the full schedule, head to www.aehl.ca.