Ile des Chenes preparing for return to senior hockey

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This article was published 15/09/2022 (1326 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

by CASSIDY DANKOCHIK

It’s been false start after false start for the return of the Ile des Chenes North Stars to senior hockey, but the team is finally ready to play in 2022.

The North Stars are one of three teams set to jump from the Carillon Senior Hockey League (CSHL) to the South East Manitoba Hockey League (SEMHL) this season, alongside the Ste Anne Aces and Red River Wild, which play out of St Jean.

The CSHL didn’t play last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning the North Stars return to play was also postponed.

Gaetan Beauchemin is the manager for the team. He’s one of many who transitioned from Ste Anne’s franchise to start a more local team for Ile des Chenes players.

“I didn’t have to chase players, they were actually asking us to start the team up again, so that was nice,” Beauchemin said.

“With COVID, a lack of teams, not being allowed in the SEMHL last season, finally we’re in now.”

The SEMHL will be jam-packed with teams in 2022, with the Carillon teams joining seven existing franchises, making the senior league one of the largest in Manitoba history for this level.

While the CSHL cancelled their 2021/2022 season, the SEMHL was able to play their season, with the Warren Mercs ending the season as league champions. The 71-year-old league has never had more teams playing in a single season.

In the 1999/2000 season, SEMHL teams played an interlocking schedule with the Hanover-Tache senior league.

“With 10 teams in the South East league, it’s gonna be a lot of fun,” Beauchemin said.

“It’s going to be exciting. I know it’s a little more travel for our boys, but we’re excited to see some new places, and some new players.”

Ile des Chenes brings its own strong history to the senior hockey ranks. The team was a traditional force in the Hanover-Tache league, even winning the Allan Cup in 2003. They competed as an independent AAA senior squad after the Hanover-Tache league folded, but had not iced a squad for a few years before a planned debut in the CSHL in 2020.

“I’m excited to get it going again,” Beauchemin said.

“There are some very talented hockey players playing beer league. They should have a better place to play. It’s exciting to finally have a spot.”

Beauchemin added he expects the team to be pretty young, guessing their roster’s average age should be around 25-years-old.

“The step up to senior is a big step some people don’t realize, even from junior A,” he said.

“Players sometimes come back from the WHL thinking senior hockey is going to be beer league, but it’s actually high calibre hockey and not everybody can cut it. I’m hoping our boys can.”

Roughly 30 players will be attending North Stars camp, with only a few players boasting senior hockey experience.

The SEMHL schedule will be set at a Sept. 21 meeting.