If the Cariboo Cougars skate to a B.C. Hockey Major Midget League playoff title, they will not play in a Pacific regional championship series in advance of the Telus Cup.
Normally, the B.C. champion plays a best-of-three Pacific series against the Alberta winner to determine which club gains entry into the Telus Cup nationals. But, because the Cougars are already in the Telus Cup as the host team, a Pacific playoff would be deemed unnecessary.
Cariboo head coach Trevor Sprague said he found out about the stipulation last week. But, Barry Petrachenko, chief executive officer of B.C. Hockey, told The Citizen the provision has been in place for several years. He said an agreement between B.C. Hockey and Hockey Alberta was made at some point after the 2001 national tournament, when the Prince George-based Coast Inn of the North Cougars hosted the event - then known as the Air Canada Cup - but had also claimed the Pacific title thanks to a series victory against the Alberta-champion Calgary Royals.
Post-2001, concerns arose about holding a Pacific series between the Alberta champion and the B.C. champ when one or the other was already the host of nationals and the only thing at stake was a title.
"There are two sides to every issue around this one, but I think predominantly the playing of games so close to the Telus Cup that essentially don't mean anything was probably the biggest factor," Petrachenko said.
"Essentially, the Pacific regional championship would not mean anything to the Cariboo Cougars," he added. "So they go into that (series), it's basically like exhibition games."
Sprague, who was an assistant coach of the 2001 Coast Inn club, said he would prefer to play the Pacific championship series.
"Obviously I'd like to play the games - bring it on," he said. "I want to play some hockey, I don't want three weeks off (between the B.C. playoffs and the Telus Cup). We won Pacifics in 2001 and I still want to be able to do that. I'm not one to say, 'See you at the Telus Cup,' I'm one to make sure teams earn it."
If the Cougars don't win the BCHMML playoffs, the team that does would still face Alberta for the Pacific crown and a spot in the Telus Cup as Team Pacific.
But, if the Cougars end up as the B.C. champion, and with no Pacific series, Petrachenko said they would be considered the host team for nationals, which start April 24 at CN Centre. The main reason for sticking with the 'host' designation, he said, is scheduling. The Telus Cup schedule was finalized months ago, with the host team in the prime slots for a hometown fanbase to come out and show its support.
No matter what happens, the Cougars will play their Telus Cup opener at 7:30 p.m. on April 24. The opponent will be Team Pacific, so that game could decide the true Pacific champion.
