The Greater Metro Hockey League (GMHL) West Division, is heading to Rosetown. The GMHL is a Canadian Junior A Hockey League that was originally based out of Ontario and has now expanded west to British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The Western Provinces Hockey Association(WPHA) has re-branded and is now part of the GMHL.


Rosetown has been identified as one of markets that will receive an expansion team for the 2019/2020 season. The announcement was originally made back in June. Slave Lake, the Enoch Cree Nation and the Edmonton Academy, are the other expansion markets. Returning teams in the league are in the communities of Cold Lake, Hinton and Meadow Lake/Flying Dust First Nation for the 2019-2020 season.


Derek Prue, Expansion Director, shared that the league saw an opportunity in Rosetown with the AGT centre seating 2500, daily ice times available and Rosetown’s strong commitment to the game.


“The long hockey history and the absence of the senior AAA senior team presented a very good opportunity,” said Prue.


It was recently announced that Kevin Maclelland from Oshawa, Ontario has signed on as head coach of the team. Maclelland comes with an extensive hockey career and coaching background. Maclelland played with the Edmonton Oilers from1984–1989, with whom he won four Stanley Cups and saw the bulk of his success. Maclelland is excited for the opportunity and is looking forward to building the team and starting the recruitment process.


“Every time you move to a new league, you have to learn the players” commented Maclelland, who is in the process of making the move to Rosetown, “that’s the fun thing about coaching; working with the kids and developing them. Helping to make them better people and better players.”


There has been some speculation in the community as to whether or not the expansion would occur. The GMHL is not part of the ‘Saskatchewan Hockey League’s' junior system. The announcement was made quickly in June with very little information made available since the original announcement.


Lauren Barr, who’s in charge of marketing for the team, reported that there have been three players from Europe signed, thus far. She, along with Prue and Maclelland all mentioned that the team would be looking next to ‘the local boys’ to fill spots on their roster.


With plans to host a training camp during the first week of September, the crew will have to move quickly. Barr said one of their top priorities at this point is finding a billet coordinator.


The new Rosetown teams name was put to vote and it was overwhelming decided that they will carry the name ‘Red Wings.’