Central Newfoundland
Minor Hockey
Minor hockey was an intricate part of the hockey history of Buchans since its formation in 1954 by the late Jimmy Hornell and the late T.A. "Gus" Soper. Minor hockey was played in the old rink for six years before moving into the new stadium during the 1961 season. There was a six-team pee-wee league which was named after the original six NHL teams - Toronto, Montreal, Boston, Detroit, New York and Chicago. There was also a four-team bantam league. During the long winter months in Buchans, minor hockey kept a lot of kids busy. Games and practices were held during the weekdays and on Saturday mornings. The players selected for the all-star teams that played in the provincial tournaments during Easter week, had to attend practice early in the morning before going to school. Many people who grew up in Buchans can recall getting up early in the morning to attend practice at the stadium and, in the early days, at the old rink. One can still shiver when remembering the cold and frosty mornings spent waiting for the stadium or rink to open, then the dash to the dressing room to warm up and get dressed for practice. As soon as the kids were dressed, they all headed for the ice surface for practice that would last about an hour. After practice was over, everyone undressed as quickly as possible then rushed home to breakfast before heading to school. These practices were usually held in the last few months of the season to give the all-star teams extra ice time of a few hours a week. Many a parent can relate to the hectic schedule, getting the boys out of bed for practice in the early hours of the morning and getting them home in time to clean up and eat breakfast before going off to school. The parents and kids had to have a lot of dedication and perseverance to perform this task two days a week for two months.