HUNDER BAY – The Kam River Fighting Walleye of the SIJHL and the Thunder Bay Kings AAA Hockey Club have announced a monumental and joint operating agreement where the two hockey organizations will work together to strengthen AAA youth hockey in northwestern Ontario and advance the mission to bring the Centennial Cup (former RBC Cup) back to Thunder Bay. The Centennial Cup, representative of Junior A supremacy in Canada, hasn’t be hoisted by a Thunder Bay Junior A hockey team since the Thunder Bay Flyers won it back in 1992.
The Walleye and Kings leadership inked the agreement this month. The vast majority of AAA Hockey organizations in the United States and in Canada have strong relationship agreements with one or more Junior A hockey clubs. This ensures that the best midget aged players (aged 15, 16 and 17 years old) remain in AAA to grow and develop vs leave and sign with Junior A teams when they are not yet ready to meet the demands of league that is most often comprised of 18-20 year olds.
This novel agreement includes commitments to coach development, player development, co-branding, joint fundraising and organization promotion and youth hockey development.
“The Thunder Bay Kings AAA Hockey Organization exists to provide high performing youth hockey players with the opportunity to advance to Junior A, Major Junior A, U SPORTS, the NCAA, and the National Hockey League. Similar AAA hockey clubs in the United States and across Canada have demonstrated the value of such strategic alliances and meaningful business collaborations with Junior A/u20 Hockey Programs. This relationship between the Kings and the Walleye Junior A Hockey Team will provide greater stability for our AAA Program here in Northwestern Ontario while allowing more of our graduates with the opportunity to pursue their dreams at the next level,” said Michael Power, president of the Thunder Bay Kings AAA Hockey Organization.
“The agreement is now in place and the objectives are being actioned by the two organizations,” said Derek Geddes, president of the Walleye.”
