While the season is over, the Richmond Sockeyes are focused on building for the future which starts with questions like “what’s needed for the upcoming season and how do we build for the future as we move forward.”

All valid questions for not just the owners but also questions that the coaching staff are focused on: who might be returning; while at the same time also wishing the very best for the group of players that are moving on, to take their next step either on the ice or taking a different career path as they age out.

With the PJHL taking the next step and moving up to Tier 1 Junior A status it’s important for not only for the Sockeyes to grow with this change but also the league itself to develop players to take the next step in their hockey career.

Moving forward means positive changes for the Sockeyes in order to grow their franchise while meeting the commitment to moving up to Tier 1 Junior A status. In doing so, the most direct change they have made so far is in the search for a new coach as Cullen Revel will no longer be behind the bench. 

Management certainly wishes Cullen every success in his future endeavours. 

The Sockeyes’ ownership has made an extensive list of possible candidates and have narrowed the list down to those that they feel will be a “good fit” for the team as they move forward to Junior A Tier 1 level. In a recent video filmed about the Richmond Sockeyes journey, every testimonial given by previous players and players that have gone on to play professionally there was one common statement repeatedly made “we were treated like family.” So with years of developing this environment it is important to the owners that they protect the integrity of this philosophy and finding the right coach that understands the history that’s taken years to build.

To date, ownership has held several interviews in search of their ideal coach and hope to finalize their decision in the very near future with a candidate who will lead the team to not just a league championship or provincial championship but also a national championship.

Their quest to find the right fit is a requirement ownership will not sacrifice. The players, some of whom are being billeted here in Richmond and away from their families can be of the age 16 to age 20 so the owners have an obligation to ensure their players are treated like family and this is important that everyone from management down supports this belief.

Moving forward, there’s more exciting news to report and that is the owners are looking to expand their scouting team to outside of Canada. With the recent change to move up to Tier 1, Junior A status and a long history of some 53 years the Sockeyes have a proven track record that provides a safe, diversified community with multiple options to continue their education from secondary schools to community colleges and universities. The owners believe that they have a solid structure in place to embrace potential hockey players. 

For the players that are returning to next season, the owners feel they have a good nucleus of returning hockey players of which, there are a number of players who have already made a commitment for the upcoming season. 

From the perspective of intermission fun and entertainment for the fans in attendance, I am hearing that they are bringing back the Music Bingo which took off like a rocket ship last season and while on the topic off-ice programming, there's no better approach for a hockey broadcast like the one that the Sockeyes stream each Thursday night by continuing to offer fans what we call a view from "Inside the Game" and we can do that with "stats". 

Most fans are familiar with hockey stats and they cover the usual: goals by period, power play numbers, penalty killing and shots on goal. 

We try to break that down a little further and offer some insights that often will determine the wins and losses. 

The Sockeyes have proven to be a great third period team and we can look at their goals for and against when there’s a game on the line, such as really in-depth data for example, not just 'how many shots' but where did the shots come from—in front of the net or the perimeter?

When listeners tune in, they will hear a conversation between play-by-play and colourful commentating that mixes in numbers with narrative. Here’s an example of our “fun facts for the week”—since 1972 the Richmond Sockeyes have played just under 2,400 games for our Richmond fans and the winning percentage equates to .648, that is a performance fun fact. Watch for our next issue: excerpts from the major Sockeyes history project now under development.

The Richmond Sentinel would like to thank the owners, management and players for welcoming us into their world of sport. It has been a pleasure to not only promote these talented, hard-working young men but to also recognize their volunteer contribution to our community which often goes unnoticed. We wish them well over the summer as they scout for new recruits and as they train their players over the summer for the next season. If you are interested in volunteering or want to enquire about billeting a player you can contact the Richmond Sockeyes on their website richmondsockeyes.com or contact owner Doug Paterson at dpatt@shaw.ca