ELORA – Despite recent warm weather, hockey season is just around the corner.
The Elora Rocks have already had tryouts with the final one on Sept. 25 at the Elora District Community Centre.
The executive has been busy getting sponsors for the upcoming year and the program is in progress.
The clubs of the WOAA Sr. Hockey League recently approved a major overhaul to the way rosters are constructed.
Previously, teams were required to sign talent from within a specified geographic radius, but with the ability to dress up to five import players from outside their geographic area.
A one-year trial has been implemented that will see players ranked based on their previous hockey experience, with caps on the number of players a team can sign at each level.
For example, a team can now sign two players considered to be Level 1, which is any player who has previous professional experience, including any level of European pro hockey.
A Level 2 player is considered any player who played major junior (OHL, WHL, QMJHL) or NCAA Division I or Division II hockey.
A team may sign up to four “Level 2” players.
Level 3 is considered any player who played no higher than Jr. A, including Jr. B, Canadian university (USports) or NCAA Division III. Teams may sign up 12 Level 3 players.
Level 4 is any player who played no higher than Jr. C, and there are no limits on the number of players eligible to be signed at this level.
Veterans grandfathered
In order to maintain rosters, only players who have played fewer than three consecutive seasons with their current team will be classified under the new system. All other veteran players will be grandfathered.
The Rocks will, as always, have home games on Friday nights at 8:30pm.
Their first game in the 22 game schedule will be on the road in Shallow Lake vs the Crushers. The first home game is Friday, Oct. 11 vs the Milverton 4 Wheel Drives.
