ATHABASCA – Hockey fans in Athabasca are going to have a new team to cheer for this winter with a new junior team ready to set up shop at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex.
The yet-to-be-named team will be playing in the National Junior Hockey League (NJHL), an Alberta-based independent organization with teams spread across the province.
“We plan to have our boys in the community quite a bit, helping with anything that’s available,” said Jacob Hegerfeldt, the team’s owner and general manager.
“It’s just an awesome town here in Athabasca; it has a modern feel as well as that tight-knit vibe to it.”
The team is expecting to play a 42-game season, with 21 games at home and 21 games on the road against squads in Edson, High Prairie, Claresholm, and more towns in both the north and southern regions of the province. The league is still finalizing its schedule for the 2025-26 season — league manager Derek Prue said they could have anywhere between six and 11 teams — but Athabascans can expect to see a home game each week during the winter.
“The arrival of an NJHL team marks an exciting new chapter for hockey in our region. This development will create new opportunities for local athletes and sports fans, while also boosting tourism and delivering meaningful economic benefits to the community,” said Rhonda Alix, the Athabasca Regional Multiplex’s manager.
The league, which isn’t affiliated with the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) operates on a tuition-based model. The players are recruited, scouted, or selected through tryouts, and they pay a fee each year to benefit from the coaching and resources of the clubs.
Community experience
During a July 24 tour of the multiplex, attended by Hegerfeldt, Prue, and a handful of local politicians including Athabasca County reeve Tracy Holland and ARM board chair Ashtin Anderson, the hockey league highlighted a variety of methods through which the team could benefit the community.
“(The players) live in the community, they’re here every day from the months of mid-September to ‘til the end of March. We expect them to be volunteering at least once a week and be contributing to the community because it’s a privilege to have a community and have people open up their town to us,” said Hegerfeldt.
Prue said the league has the same expectations for all its teams across the province: to present the highest and best product that they can. Each team has a mascot, intermission games, and a variety of activities to help the community feel like they’re a part of the experience.
“There’s always something for the younger kids to do, whether it’s a craft table where they can make posters for their favourite players, or something else. It’s not just a 60-minute hockey game. Come, and you’re entertained for the entire length of the event.”
Off the ice, the athletes are expected to volunteer at least once a week, whether it’s with a snow angels program, youth mentorship, or another experience. Prue said that is true across the league, and from his experience the young men soon grow to love their time in the community.
Financial considerations
As part of the process of bringing the team into Athabasca, the ARMS board had to weigh the good with the bad before making their decision. While the NJHL has some success stories, including the long-standing Edson Eagles, 2024 was a tumultuous year for the organization, with multiple teams breaking off to start their own league and communities turning down expansion offers.
"We discussed (the concerns) quite a bit and we feel comfortable that this is going to be a benefit to our community as a whole," said multiplex board chair Ashtin Anderson.
"Having that many players come here, having the publicity around the events, it's an incredible opportunity so we're really looking forward to working with them and seeing how that partnership can expand and grow."
Back in May, Barrhead councillors turned down Hegerfeldt’s plan to put a junior team in the community to replace the now-defunct Bombers, citing concerns about payment and a previous legal history.
In 2019, Prue was representing the Western Provinces Hockey Association, and after contract negotiations stalled out and Barrhead ended up bringing in a different franchise, Prue applied for judicial review.
At the end of last season, five teams split off from the NJHL, although at least one has since returned. The Northern Alberta Lightning, Vulcan Rampage, Lac La Biche Lakers, and High Prairie Red Wings joined with the Onion Lake Scouts to form the Alberta Elite Junior Hockey League (AEJHL).
At the time, the teams cited a lack of confidence in leadership and failure to provide financial disclosure, as well as a lack of clarity around resource allocation. Prue denied all the allegations at the time in an interview with the South Peace News.
“Our business model works, our teams like High Prairie, Edson, they’ve been around since day one. There’s a competing league that’s trying to start up, so I always tell people to check their sources and don’t believe anything they get anonymously,” said Prue during the Athabasca tour.
“I make my cell phone available to anybody, anytime, to answer questions directly. We’re the only league that has been running concurrently right through COVID-19 into last year, so we’re quite proud of that.”
